Bike back rider ran over, legs sliced off

By Juan Escandor Jr. NAGA CITY---A grisly accident killed the back rider of the motorcycle whose left leg was sliced off when a passenger bus ran over him early morning Friday (Jan. 24) in a highway junction here. SPO4 Leodegario Jarabejo, deputy chief the Junction Police Station, identified Paolo Balbiran, 31, as the back rider who was pronounced dead on arrival by Dr. Azuero Baesa at Bicol Medical Center at about 4:00 a.m. of that day. Jarabejo said that the motorcycle driver, a certain Anthony Vergara, 23, was unharmed, even though he was also taken in custody for driving without license. He said the motorcycle was approaching the junction from the Almeda Highway going right while the Raymond bus driven by Ricky Español, 36, was going straight ahead. Jarabejo said before the collision Balbiran jumped off from the motorcycle then stumbled down the road in time for the Raymond bus to ran over him while the motorcycle slid down and avoided a direct collision. Español said he did not notice Balbiran but heard a thud after the motorcycle avoided the direct collision. He said it was his first time to ran over and killed a person in his 10 years of experience as driver. Jarabejo said they will not file charges against Español because the immediate family of the victim has agreed for settlement with the Raymond bus management.