Laoag City vice mayor dies in car crash

A security officer stands guard on the late vice mayor’s casket.

By Dominic B. dela Cruz

Staff reporter

Laoag City—The city’s vice mayor Michael V. Fariñas dies in a car crash along the bypass road a Brgy. 55-C Vira, this city, on the afternoon of June 6, 2018.

First responders attend to the fallen vice mayor

The Laoag police said they responded to the incident along with the Dept. of Public Safety paramedics at 5:45 pm of the said date.

The police said the vice mayor was driving a Mercedes Benz V8 Biturbo SUV along with his security aide SPO2 Melchor Geronimo of the Laoag police.

Initial police investigation showed that the SUV was heading northwards when the vice mayor apparently lost control of the vehicle. The SUV, the report continued, swerved to the right shoulder of the road, hit a concrete barrier, and the impact threw the car into a rice field.

Responders immediately transported the vice mayor to the Gov. Roque B. Ablan Sr. Memorial Hospital; attending doctors pronounced him “dead on arrival.”

Mr. Geronimo survived the crash. Responders rushed him to the Laoag City General Hospital.

Laoag police officer-in-charge P/Supt. Dominic Guerrero said they are still in the middle of the investigation. He said Mr. Geronimo will be the focus of the investigation since he was with Mr. Fariñas when the accident happened. The police, however would have to wait for the police officer to recover sufficiently.

He added that the vice mayor was coming from the city’s poblacion area after a project inspection and a visit to his youngest daughter at her school.

He also disclosed that the SUV suffered heavy damages and was on fire, which the responding Bureau of Fire Protection officers immediately put out.

The SUV after the accident.

Based on witnesses’ accounts, the car was really moving fast “[P]ero mas maganda kung yung statement mismo yung kasama niya dahil nasa loob mismo ng sasakyan at siya din mismo ang makapagsasabi kung naka seatbelt nga talaga si vice mayor during the incident,” Mr. Guerrero said.

“Nakausap din natin yung pamilya niya [Mr. Geronimo] at sabi may dalawang broken ribs daw at sa lungs niya kaya di pa masiyado clear pag kinakausap pero conscious naman siya yun nga lang medyo hinihingal siya magsalita kahit gustuhin sana naming siya makausap para malaman kung ano talaga ang nangyari,” the Laoag police OIC added. 

Mr. Guerrero also clarified that they have no report of other accidents involving the vice mayor’s SUV prior to the fatal crash. Social media users have claimed that the SUV hit two other vehicles prior to the fatal crash. Mr. Guerrero pointed out that there are no such report or record either from the police or the DPS traffic division.

Imee’s message

Ilocos Norte governor Ma. Imelda “Imee” R. Marcos said she is extending “her hope for peace in the family of the late Laoag City Vice Mayor Michael V. Fariñas, who passed away on Wednesday afternoon, June 6, in a vehicular accident along the bypass road on Brgy. 55-C Vira”.

“We are shocked and saddened by the loss of our vice mayor,” said Ms. Marcos. “He has been a real leader in Laoag City, and his contributions to its development will never be forgotten.”

She said Mr. Fariñas, during his term as Barangay 16, Laoag City chairperson, he established an effective revenue collection scheme which the Laoag government now uses. He also initiated complete illumination of his barangay, which he likewise implemented as city mayor, thus lowering crime rate and increasing crime solution efficiency during his term.

As vice mayor, he was also a recipient of the Most Outstanding Local Legislator Award by Superbrands Marketing Inc.

“We extend our prayers and condolences to mayor Chevylle, Jamie, Mikee, and Motmot. I’m hopeful that the Fariñases will find peace and be assuaged in their grief by prayer and our best wishes,” the governor added.

No statement from Family yet

The Ilocos Times tried to reach the vice mayor’s family for their statement, but, as of press time, they have yet to release any. Mr. Fariñas’ remains was immediately transported to their residence at Brgy. Vira this city from the provincial hospital.

He leaves behind his widow, Laoag mayor Chevylle V. Fariñas, and three children: city government administrator John Michael, Laoag Loga ng mga Barangay president Mary Michelle Louise, and Michelle Friedrich Therese.

Mr. Fariñas was on his second term as vice mayor after three terms as Laoag mayor.

He was also a former three-term Laoag Liga ng mga Barangay president.

Succession

Meanwhile, Laoag Sangguniang Panlungsod secretary Enrico Aurelio said the councilor with the highest number of votes will automatically assume the vice mayoralty post as stated in the law.

Laoag councilor Franklin Dante A. Respicio attained the highest number of votes in the 2016 elections and thus will assume the position.

3^rd LC vice mayor

Mr. Fariñas becomes the third vice mayor who died in office.

In 2012, Laoag vice mayor Edward “Sapatos” Domingo died of cardiac arrest on September 29,2012. He was also a barangay chairperson and a member of the council prior to his election as vice mayor. He challenged for the mayoralty post in 2004 but lost to Mr. Fariñas, who then started his three-term reign. Then Laoag councilor Donald Nicolas succeeded as vice mayor.

In 2005, a still unidentified gunman gunned down Laoag vice mayor Jimmy Chua in the early morning of February 2, 2005, right after the city fiesta’s opening program. Mr. Chua was with then Laoag councilor Melvin dela Cuesta in a restaurant in the city when the killing occurred. The case remains unresolved today.

‘Accident prone areas’

In a related development, Mr. Guerrero urged the Dept. of Public Works and Highways to install early warning signs on accident-prone areas in the city and the province.

He stressed the need to put up more signages to avoid fatal vehicular accidents in those areas again. The police also reiterated to drivers and passengers to always buckle up for safety.

Mr. Guerrero’s statement came after the car accident that killed Mr. Fariñas near a curve of the newly-constructed Laoag bypass road connecting Laoag and Bacarra town.

Earlier, another vehicular accident happened in the same area that killed two motorists riding in a motorcycle. (With reports from Leilanie G. Adriano and PGIN-CMO)