Negligence Resulting to Homicide

When Tatay Florencio was hit by a trycicle last November 26, 2007 the accident seemed so heavy that caused the lost of tatay's life. Imagine a Philippine-made tricycle! An ordinary man can even carry that, push that alone! It is not so heavy to take one's life. Or maybe the drive was too fast/speedy! Even then, the victim perhaps could survive that bump.

But the tricycle-accident that bumped tatay did not end there.

When tatay was hit by the tricycle, he was bumped and pushed by the tricycle to land to a telephone-company-made canal, digged for their expansion project at that streetside infront of tatay's house-gate. So, you can imagine tatay got two accidents, bumped by a tricycle and fell down to that digged, uncovered canal unconsciously.

The accident happen at night, around or past 8:00 pm. The street lights are gone! The digged canal was uncovered!

The tricycle driver who made a hit-and run surrendered days after tatay died. Four days after tatay was buried, the Office of the Provincial Board summon the boss of the telephone company and the family of Tatay Florencio. The meeting was presided by the vice governor. And only after that time when the vice governor warned the telephone company during the meeting, that a representative of the telephone company went to visit the Sanchez residence to offer their assistance.

As a company, don't they have safety measures in implementing their projects? During fieldworks, dont they have safety nets? Don't they have precautionary lights, road signs, covers, and other precautionary materials for the safety of the passing pedestrians as well as to precaution the drivers to slowdown, particularly that they are along the sidestreets used as pedestrian way?

The company looks to have neglected this aspect that caused the loss of life. And this is a crime!!!!!

As the company did not bother even to offer a flower or visit to condole the family during their time of grief, the company looked unethical, immoral and non-socially inclined company! Maybe they don't have PR department!

The representatives asked how much they can assist to the family after the warning was given by the vice governor! What do they mean? Is tatay an item being sold to them? Woo to that man who doesn't value life but views materially!!

There were grievances,! The lifetime presence of tatay was lost! His supervision to the Fil Vision Trading and the hollow blocks production are lost. His delicious and my favorite dishes in his carenderia are lost. Mother lost her lifetime partner. My friends and I lost our loving tatay! We and the neighbors lost a friend because of this negligence of a telephone company and risklessness of a trycicle driver!

The accident did not end there!

Mother and brother Felix have to battle their blood pressures in the hospital as a domino effect of what happen to tatay! They were admitted to the hospital. Gosh! The just visited daughter from USA of tatay have to come back again and spend dollars for their fare. Hospital bills, funeral bills, vigil expenses, electrical bills, telephone bills doubled, tripled or more! That is just material to value. But life cannot be bought!

Fr. Orbos said in his homily and I quote, "Repentance is not enough. We can say “sorry” and be forgiven again and again, but “sorry” without sincerity and without humility is empty. Likewise, “sorry” without resolve, without reparation, and without true contrition is mere lip service. If truly sorry, then, the Gospel on Sunday says: “Produce good fruits as evidence of your repentance.”

One fruit of evidence of repentance that the telephone company can do is to implement effective safety measures i n their project, in the fields and to their workers as well. Do they use head gears? working rubber boots, etc? There must be signal lights and road signs and covers to their diggings along the road to precaution drivers and passers-by. These and other safety measures will reflect that they were sorry to the previous negligence! In business there is a term indemnity. They know that!

Dont ask how much!!!! We are not selling a piece of human-meat! Do you understand???

Compute how much the family have spent from the hospital bills (not only of tatay but the admittance of Nanay Betty and brother Felix), the electric bills, the lost in the two stores, the telephone bills, the plane tickets and other transportation expenses. And these are not enough! The lifetime services of tataty not only as cook, supervisor but as a husband to mother, as father to his children, as friend to his neighbors and all. You cannot sum it all!

You want an amicable settlement Mr. Company? Be a man of heart and a man of peace! Improve the safety measures of your company and be socially committed for life, peace and love to humanity and not only focus to profit and material value!

May your conscience allow you to rest! God bless you all!