Cebu journalist dies from road mishap just after coverage

By Joseph B.A. Marzan and Glazyl Y. Masculino

A journalist from a Cebu-based media outlet died from brain injuries due to a road accident in Negros Oriental on Monday, March 13, fresh from her coverage of a controversial political killing in the town.

Pegeen Maisie Sararaña, 24 years old, multimedia reporter of Cebu Daily News (CDN), was reported to have died while under treatment at 9:14 p.m. Monday at the Negros Polymedic Hospital in Sibulan town.

Police reports stated that Sararaña was onboard a motorcycle driven by Niel Ian Balcobero, who was later identified to be her boyfriend, when an ELF truck suddenly hit them while waiting to cross the road in San Jose town on Sunday, March 12 at around 3 p.m.

Police Executive Master Sergeant (PEMS) Oliver Rosario of the San Jose Police Station told CDN that the overtaking truck dragged the motorcycle at least 35 feet away.

This happened just after Sararaña finished coverage of the killing of Negros Oriental governor Roel Degamo and eight others in Pamplona town.

The two were rushed to the hospital, where she was unconscious until she was declared dead, while Balcobero remained admitted to the hospital as of Monday evening.

The truck driver, 27-year-old Nielric Gaso, was briefly detained following the incident but was released on Monday morning.

As of this writing, no formal complaint had been filed against him, and other media reports stated that her family had not yet made any pronouncements as to whether they would push for charges.

Her death was mourned by her family and the local media community in Central Visayas, with sister Claire Sararaña Lauglaug saying that the grief their family felt was “all too real”.

“Losing a loved one is arguably the hardest thing most people will go through. The loss of someone special and close to you most especially a family member is devastating,” Lauglaug said on her Facebook post.

“When tragedy like that hits us then we try to find ways to feel better. Maybe seeking understanding or closure regarding that loss, or an attempt to seek out others who share our pain,” she added.

Kaye Brier, Inquirer’s correspondent in the province and a friend to Sararaña, shared her last conversations moments before the latter’s incident.

“You were so excited telling me that you would be finally taking your day off after a very long and tiring coverage. You told me that you would be just resting for a moment before traveling back to Cebu. But even if you were on your day off, you were still thinking of what stories were good to run,” Brier said in her Facebook post on Tuesday.

“Minutes before your tragic accident you were still messaging me on the developments in the Degamo case. I wonder why you missed responding back. Then I heard the news. It took us out of focus and we are now in deep pain. Rest well, Pegeen,” she added.

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) Cebu Chapter said in a statement that Sararaña would be missed by her family, colleagues, and loved ones.

“Pegeen was a young reporter in Cebu media who mainly covered police and conflict stories. She was known and loved by her friends in the media for her kindness and gentleness. Pegeen was quiet but was always willing to lend a hand. Despite all that she had been through, and the hardships she had faced, she persisted and found a deeper calling in journalism,” the local NUJP statement read.

Cebu Federation of Beat Journalists (CFBJ) President Arnold Bustamante mourned her loss on behalf of their organization as well as the Defense PNP Press Corps.

“We love this kid we all call Baby because he is the youngest reporter of PNP Beat. We will miss your sweetness, your softness to speak even if you are angry with your source but your voice will never raise,” Bustamante said in Cebuano.

The CFBJ released its own statement, saying, “That young and talented journalist was not only an appreciated part of our team but also a dear friend we guided her every step as she found success in journalism early on and will miss having her at field reports too much now that she’s gone.”