‘Drunk’ teen driver kills mom, one-year-old son in hit-and-run

By Jennifer P. Rendon

A 25-year-old mother and her infant son died in a hit-and-run incident in Leon, Iloilo late afternoon of July 11, 2021.

Emilyn Cañonero, a resident of Barangay Agboy Sur, Leon was declared dead on arrival at Aleosan District Hospital in Alimodian town while her son Eizekel died while undergoing treatment around an hour later.

The suspect, Mark Angelo Lipa, 19, a student and resident of nearby Agboy Norte village, Leon, allegedly fled after the incident.

Police arrested Lipa shortly after his vehicle, a Mitsubishi Strada pick-up, rammed into the railings of Sibalom Bridge at Barangay Talacuan, Leon, some two kilometers from the scene of the incident.

Lipa only suffered minor injuries.

His lone passenger, Aizen Ramos, 21, of Barangay Buga, Leon, Iloilo, suffered minor injuries and was taken to a hospital in Iloilo City.

Lieutenant Melchor Tolentino, Leon PNP officer-in-charge, said Cañonero was pushing a Japanese bicycle with her son sitting in the basket when they were hit by Lipa’s car.

Witnesses claimed that the vehicle did not stop or even slow down to help the victims.

When police later caught up with Lipa after his pick-up plowed the bridge railings, he claimed that he has no reason to stop earlier as he did not hit anyone.

“But based on the assessment of our investigators, Lipa was reeking with liquor,” Tolentino said.

The duo came from Barangay Lanot, Leon and was on their way to Buga when the incident occurred.

Tolentino is now detained and will be charged for reckless imprudence resulting in double homicide.