Abaca Dealer Punctures His Mouth In Motorcycle Collision

Sept. 7,2010
Abaca Dealer Punctures His Mouth In Motorcycle Collision
By Quirico M. Gorpido,Jr.

Maasin City, Southern Leyte-An abaca dealer who drove his motorcycle home after delivering his abaca fiber to his customer in another barangay here in this city, accidentally punctured his mouth when it struck against a sharp-pointed stone after a collision with another motorcycle running in opposite direction at a curved road during the recent Monday morning at about 8:30a.m.
The aforesaid abaca dealer was identified as Ignacio Balderama,47 years old,married,a resident of brgy. Pinaskohan.
The other driver of the motorcycle was identified as Boy Adobas, legal age, married and a resident of brgy. Lower Pansaan.
In an interview at the provincial hospital, Balderama narrated that he went to Lower Pansaan to deliver 15 kilos of abaca fiber to his brother-in-law Danilo Cadavos.
On his way to deliver the abaca fiber, he has two backriders-Alfonso Ichon,37 years old,single,his worker and Naring Matubay,35 years old,married,a Barangay Health Worker. She had to report for work in brgy. Nonok Norte where she was assigned.
He said that when he went home he has no more backrider.As he continued to increase the speed of his motorcycle, he said, he reached upon a curved road somewhere along the way when he met another motorcycle driven by a familiar person named Boy Adobas.He said the latter also drove his motorcycle equally in high speed.
Balderama said he did not expect that they would collide since he was on the right side portion of the road and Adobas was also on his right position.
Nevertheless, he was surprised why Adobas suddenly swerved to the left, he said, thus they collided and were thrown out of their strides from their respective motorcycles.
He confessed that his mouth, which could not open well during the interview, hit a sharp pointed stone on the rough road that punctured his mouth and broke his two front teeth.
His face has many bruises and one of his eyes swell. His arms have also some slight bruises, but his right toe was cut into halves when he abruptly applied a break during the collision, he said.
The abaca dealer also disclosed that Adobas felt unconscious for several minutes right after the collision. He regained his consciousness when he was about to help him, he said.
He further said he left the latter as his mouth was oozing with blood. He said he was accompanied by someone in the barangay to the hospital for emergency treatment.
Both motorcycle drivers involved in the collision did not sustain fractured skull or fractured arm. Luckily Boy Adobas has only slight bruises and was discharged after his treatment at the emergency room.
Balderama said that he would discharged himself from confinement and be an outpatient. He was being scheduled by Orthopedic Surgeon Dr.Jaime Carbonilla for his mouth operation.
He further said that he would file a case against Boy Adobas for his damaged motorcycle, hospitalization and purchase of medicines.
When asked how come he was still able to harvest some matured abaca plants for fiber extraction. He disclosed that it was only about 20% compared to the time when his abaca plants were still in good condition with no bunchy top attack.

Adobas could have his side of the story,but he could not be contacted.(Quirico M. Gorpido,Jr.)