Student killed in Army truck collision in Negros Occidental

BACOLOD CITY — A 22-year-old college student died and his 21-year-old classmate was injured after an Army truck reportedly struck their motorcycle in Barangay Bulad, Isabela, Negros Occidental, on Wednesday.

The student who died was identified only as Aljun, while his injured classmate was identified as Jayvie. Both were residents of Barangay Robles, La Castellana.

Police Maj. Hancel Lumandaz, chief of the Isabela Municipal Police Station, said Aljun was driving the motorcycle with Jayvie as his passenger. They were on their way to school in neighboring Moises Padilla when the collision occurred around 10 a.m.

Neither student was wearing a helmet, Lumandaz said.

Section 3 of Republic Act No. 10054, the Motorcycle Helmet Act of 2009, requires motorcycle drivers and passengers to wear standard protective helmets.

Lumandaz said the truck, assigned to the Army’s 62nd Infantry Battalion, had been following the motorcycle from La Castellana while heading to the battalion’s headquarters.

The driver, a 40-year-old Army sergeant, claimed the brakes malfunctioned when he tried to stop after the motorcycle stopped, according to Lumandaz.

The truck struck the motorcycle, dragging Aljun underneath, while Jayvie was thrown onto the road, Lumandaz said.

Aljun was declared dead at a hospital, while Jayvie was recovering at a hospital.

Lumandaz said the two sides had held an initial meeting, but the students’ families had yet to decide whether to file charges against the soldier.