Grab passenger loses fist-size part of brain in accident

A 20-year-old mechanical engineering student at the University of Santo Tomas (UST) is still fighting for his life in a hospital a month after getting into an accident during a Grab ride in Manila.

According to Emil Sumangil's report on "24 Oras" on Thursday, Marko de Guzman was in a critical condition due to a road accident last October 26.

An investigation by the  Manila Police Traffic Bureau showed that his Grab driver made a sudden turn along Taft Avenue at 4 a.m. and hit the scaffolding on the side of the road. The vehicle behind them also collided with the Grab car's rear end.

The Grab driver did not sustain any major injury, but part of scaffolding penetrated into the car and seriously injured Marko, who will graduate next school year.

"So hindi na niya makilala ang mommy niya. He lost a fist-size of his brain. The doctors called it the language center of the brain," the victim's aunt, Isabelita de Guzman Oclasia, told GMA News. 

Marko's mother, Luz Lourdes De Guzman, had spoken to the Grab driver who reportedly said: "Pasensya na po, kasi inantok po ako." 

The driver is facing charges of reckless imprudence resulting to physical injuries, but Marko's family reached out to the media because he reportedly stopped making arrangements with them.

Moreover, as Marko's hospital bills have reached P2.5 million, his family sought better financial assistance than what the ride-sharing company was offering.

"Sinabi na nila sa'min that hindi nila pagmamay-ari ang kotse, hindi nila direct employee si Grab, so wala silang pananagutan," Oclasia said.

"So from P100,000, they did go up sa price but it was still unacceptable. Basically they were just offering us the insurance of the car," she added.

Grab Philippines has yet to issue an official statement on the matter.

Nevertheless, guidelines posted on the Grab website specified that the policy on personal insurance covers both the Grab drivers and "Passenger(s) on board with a valid GrabCar booking."—Margaret Claire Layug/ LDF, GMA News