MALUNGON, Sarangani Province — An unidentified man believed to be a victim of a hit-and-run incident died after spending five days in a coma at the government-run hospital in the municipality, local authorities confirmed Wednesday, May 27.
According to the Municipal Information Office (MIO), the victim was found unconscious and bloodied beside a roadside in Pulatana, Barangay Malandag on May 21. Responders from the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO) immediately rushed to the scene after receiving reports from concerned residents who spotted the injured man lying near the road.
Authorities said the victim, estimated to be around 40 to 50 years old, suffered serious injuries believed to have been caused by a vehicular accident. Despite the efforts of medical personnel at the Sarangani provincial government-run hospital in Malungon, the victim remained in a coma and later succumbed to his injuries.
Ms. Irish V. Gonzales of the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office (MSWDO) appealed to the public to help identify the deceased and locate any relatives or acquaintances who may know him.
“We have done our best to contact the victim’s family, or anybody, but to no avail,” Gonzales said, adding that hospital staff exerted all possible efforts to save the victim’s life before he eventually passed away.
The remains of the unidentified victim are currently being attended to at GoodLife Funeral Homes in Malungon.
Authorities are urging anyone with information regarding the identity of the victim to immediately coordinate with the MSWDO or contact the MDRRMO hotlines at 0977-840-2743 (Globe) and 0912-272-1777 (Smart).
Gonzales said that if no family member or relative comes forward to claim the body, the local government unit will shoulder all burial expenses and arrange for the victim’s interment at the municipal public cemetery.
“If nobody claims it, we will have no other choice but to bury the deceased body here in our public cemetery,” she said.
Municipal Administrator Jessie Dela Cruz assured that the local government will continue to provide the necessary assistance and follow standard procedures to ensure the victim receives a proper burial.
The incident remains under investigation as authorities continue efforts to determine the circumstances surrounding the suspected hit-and-run case and identify the person responsible.