Fatal crash leads to drug arrest in Palawan

This is the motorcycle being driven by Gamaliel Aligada on 28 January, which resulted in the death of his 22-year-old female passenger. Aligada was arrested after police authorities seized shabu from his alleged possession. (Photo from the Palawan Police Provincial Office)

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY — A 22-year-old woman lost her life in an accident between a motorcycle and a tricycle in Roxas, Palawan, which also led to the arrest of a drug suspect found in possession of suspected shabu worth up to P77,750.

The Palawan Police Provincial Office (PPO) said the accident occurred in Barangay Tinitian in Roxas at around 4:30 p.m. yesterday, 28 January.

The motorcycle was being driven by Gamaliel Aligada, aged 43, with a young woman as a passenger, and it collided with a tricycle driven by Bienvenido Sobrepeña, aged 71, accompanied by his 65-year-old brother, Bernardo Sobrepeña.

The PPO did not identify the name of the woman, but it said she was declared dead upon arrival at the hospital.

Police Major Ric Ramos, the spokesperson for the PPO, stated Monday that the motorcycle's high-speed travel and disregard for the tricycle's signal light caused the motorcycle to lose control and overturn.

The occupants of both the tricycle and the motorcycle suffered minor injuries, but sadly, the 22-year-old woman, a passenger on the motorcycle, ultimately succumbed to severe head injuries.

"Investigation revealed that Bienvenido was traveling ahead of Aligada along the national highway in Brgy. Tinitian from the north to the south, while Aligada, who was coming from Port Barton and heading to Puerto Princesa City, was traveling in the same direction. Upon reaching the aforesaid place of incident, Bienvenido signaled and executed a left turn; however, Aligada was running at a high speed and ignored Bienvenido," he stated.

During the course of the accident investigation, Aligada, was initially detained. However, he was subsequently apprehended when a significant quantity of suspected shabu, valued at approximately P77,750, along with three sachets of the substance, three mobile phones, weighing scales, around P42,000 in cash, two wallets, a sling bag, and the motorcycle involved in the accident were discovered in his possession.

Aligada now faces charges related to the accident and alleged violations of Section 11, Article III of Republic Act 9165, which pertains to illegal drugs.