How will the Iloilo Business Park ensure the safety of its mall-goers from reckless drivers within its premises?
A 55-year-old call center agent was killed by a speeding modernized jeepney while crossing a pedestrian lane along Megaworld Boulevard in Barangay Airport, Mandurriao district, last March 20, 2024.
Hermie Cala died in the hospital after sustaining a fatal head injury. The impact was hard enough to throw Cala five meters away from the mini-bus driven by Mark Joevel Babiera, 24, of Barangay San Antonio, San Miguel town, Iloilo.
Mayor Jerry Treñas later issued a statement and condoled with the family of Cala. He also announced the city government extended financial assistance for the victim’s burial expenses.
Traffic Discipline
But Treñas renewed calls for transport cooperatives to have their drivers undergo re-training on traffic discipline by the Land Transportation Office (LTO) and the City Traffic Management Unit “to avoid similar incidents in the future.”
Megaworld Iloilo, in a separate statement, stressed the accident “was a stern reminder to motorists to strictly adhere to traffic policies, especially in complying with speed limits.”
“It is unfortunate that such a reckless disregard to basic traffic rules of our estate resulted in the death of the victim.”
IBP assured that it will cooperate with the city government and the Philippine National Police (PNP) in the ongoing investigation of the incident.
On April 18, a dash camera caught a modernized jeepney beating the red light at an intersection inside the Megaworld.
Private Premises
Treñas, in his press briefing recently, said the city’s traffic enforcers are prohibited by law from entering the Megaworld premises to enforce traffic ordinance.
The mayor said he tasked City Hall lawyer David Abraham Garcia and lawyer Rosie Garcia, executive officer of the Public Safety and Transportation Management Office (PSTMO), to talk to the legal department of the Megaworld on how to address the issue of road safety inside their premises.
“Maybe, we can deputize their security guards to enforce traffic ordinances. They are still studying it and will report back to me,” said Treñas.
The mayor recalled they had suggested to Megaworld to donate its major streets to the city government through a usufruct donation, but the latter declined.
Photo Credits: Bernard Tesla
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