By Melvin C. Gascon
A one-lane bridge in the upland town of Baggao in Cagayan province proved fatal for a community doctor when his car plunged off the structure during heavy rains on Sept. 15.
Police said orthopedic surgeon Nixon Cabucana, who was driving on his way to Tuguegarao City, lost control of his vehicle as he approached the narrow bridge in Barangay Tungel at the height of a downpour.
Around 8 p.m., residents supposedly alerted authorities after spotting a car that had fallen into the waterway below, according to local police.
Police Lt. Col. Rovelita Aglipay, Baggao police chief, said the accident site had recently been cleared of thick grass that once served as a visual marker for motorists approaching the bridge.
Loose sand on the bridge surface may also have caused the vehicle to skid, she added.
Rescuers found Cabucana’s car overturned and half-submerged, with the doctor still strapped to his seatbelt and his head underwater.
The victim was rushed to Baggao District Hospital but was declared dead on arrival.
In a Facebook post, Fr. Ranhilio Aquino, dean of the San Beda Graduate School of Law, called Cabucana a victim of “bad public works.”
Locals agreed with Aquino’s statement, as they questioned how a two-lane concrete road suddenly shrinks into a single-lane bridge.
Residents denounced the lack of early-warning signage on the one-lane bridge, making it a potential hazard for unsuspecting motorists who would readily assume the bridge is a two-lane structure.
Cabucana, who was honored this year with the province’s Gintong Medalya Award for Community Development, was widely recognized for his service to local communities.
His sudden death has sparked grief across Cagayan.
Authorities are investigating the incident while local responders work with residents to secure the accident site. #
