A heart-sickening piece of news has come upon a family in Barangay Taculing, Bacolod City days to Christmas.
At past 8 a.m. on December 19, 2024, an 80-year-old grandmother identified as Angelita Casquite died in a road mishap.
The senior citizen slipped while walking in the gutter near the Barangay Hall of Taculing. As she fell on the pavement, a pickup truck driven by 58-year-old Ricardo Calaguing swerved toward her location and ran over the woman’s head.
She was pronounced dead on the spot.
It was learned from the victim’s son, Melchor Casquite, that Lola Angelita had just celebrated her 80th birthday days prior to the incident.
“Nakakalungkot na Christmas ito dahil wala na sya. Sana magkakasama pa kami ngayong Kapaskuhan, kaso nadisgrasya sya,” Casquite said.
Margaret Gallentes, a relative of the victim, was also disheartened at the news.
She cited that Lola Angelita took care of her and nurtured her like her own mother.
“Siya ang nagpalaki sa akin. Malungkot ang aming Christmas. Mabait yang pangalawang ina ko,” Gallentes said.
The victim’s family has already advised her to refrain from going out of the house sans a companion because of her frail condition. She sustained a back injury which made her more susceptible to slips and falls.
However, Lola Angelita left their house in Saint Francis Subdivision to be at the barangay hall, thinking that there was a distribution of Christmas gifts for senior citizens. But no event as such was scheduled on December 19, 2024.
“Sinabihan ko siya na huwag palaging maglakad para sa kanyang safety. Nagulat kami umabot siya dito,” said Leo Castillo, team leader of Barangay Taculing Rescue Team.
The Casquite family has remained undecided on pursuing a complaint against the pickup driver. But they expect the driver to help in the funeral expenses.
The news team sought comment from the driver who was taken into the custody of Police Station 6, but he refused an interview.
As of this writing, the Casquite family has a hard time breaking the tragic news to their 88-year-old father.
