KORONADAL CITY, South Cotabato — An eight-year-old girl was killed while her 51-year-old grandmother was injured after the motorcycle they were riding collided with a police patrol vehicle at a traffic light intersection in Barangay Zone IV, Koronadal City, on the morning of November 10, 2026.
The child, identified as Vanessa Cabrera, a resident of Barangay Morales, was rushed to a hospital following the collision but could not be saved. Her grandmother, Meriam Antiquera, who was driving the motorcycle, also sustained injuries and was brought for medical treatment.
The accident happened at approximately 6:40 a.m. at the intersection of General Santos Drive and Sinsuat Street along the National Highway. The other vehicle involved was a marked Mitsubishi Strada pickup patrol car loaned to the police by the local government unit and driven by Police Corporal Elton John Javien Rombawa, 30, assigned to the Sultan Kudarat Police Mobile Force Company (SKPMFC).
Based on the initial report of the Koronadal City Police Station Traffic Section, the patrol vehicle was traveling from Barangay Morales toward the city’s roundabout when the collision occurred. The motorcycle, meanwhile, was carrying Antiquera and her granddaughter.
In a statement following the incident, Antiquera described how she proceeded through the intersection after the traffic light turned green, saying she did not expect a patrol vehicle to approach at speed.
“I always watch the traffic light. When it turns green, I proceed. I never expected a fast-moving patrol car to come straight through,” she said.
Her account raises questions about the circumstances surrounding the collision, particularly the movement of the two vehicles and their respective right of way at the intersection. However, investigators have yet to establish the complete sequence of events, and the grandmother’s account has not been presented as a final determination of liability.
Police driver placed under custody as investigation continues
The Koronadal City Police Station confirmed that the patrol vehicle was involved in the fatal incident and announced that Rombawa had been placed under the station’s custody for investigation and appropriate legal proceedings.
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In an official statement, Police Lieutenant Colonel Harold V. Cornel, chief of the Koronadal City Police Station, expressed concern over the incident and extended the station’s acknowledgment of the gravity of the child’s death and the injuries sustained by another individual.
Cornel assured the public that the investigation would be conducted thoroughly and objectively, without special treatment or consideration for the police personnel involved.
He added that appropriate administrative and legal actions would be pursued based on the findings of the investigation and in accordance with existing laws and regulations.
PRO-12 orders drug and alcohol testing
Police Regional Office 12 Director Police Brigadier General Alan B. Manibog ordered the police officer driving the patrol vehicle to undergo drug and alcohol testing as part of the investigation.
Manibog also directed the concerned police units to pursue the appropriate charges against the driver and his commissioned officer, subject to the results of the investigation and the evidence gathered.
The regional director expressed condolences to the bereaved family, saying the entire PRO-12 shared in the grief caused by the incident. He also assured the public that the investigation would be impartial and that there would be no attempt to conceal the circumstances surrounding the child’s death.
The directives signal that the investigation may extend beyond the immediate actions of the patrol vehicle’s driver to include the possible accountability of supervising personnel, depending on the evidence and applicable rules.
Previous PRO-12 directive stresses safe operation of police vehicles
The fatal collision has also brought renewed attention to an existing PRO-12 memorandum dated June 25, 2026, which directed police commanders and unit heads to strictly enforce safe driving practices and proper use of government vehicles.
The memorandum, signed by Police Colonel Gilberto B. Tuzon, Assistant Chief of the Regional Operations Division, instructed all police commanders to ensure that personnel operating government vehicles exercise the highest degree of caution, responsibility and discipline.
It specifically prohibited reckless driving, overspeeding, distracted driving, tailgating, driving while fatigued and using mobile phones while behind the wheel.
The directive also required commanders to ensure that only authorized, qualified and properly licensed personnel operate police vehicles, while mandating regular inspections of essential vehicle components, including brakes, lights, tires and steering systems.
It further warned that violations or vehicular incidents resulting from negligence, recklessness, inadequate supervision or failure to observe traffic regulations could result in appropriate administrative action following investigation.
While the June memorandum does not establish any connection to the circumstances of the November 10 collision, the incident underscores the importance of enforcing these existing road safety requirements, particularly for government vehicles entrusted with public safety responsibilities.
As the investigation continues, authorities are expected to establish how the collision happened, whether traffic rules and operational protocols were observed, and whether any individual or supervisory lapses contributed to the tragedy.
For the family of Vanessa Cabrera, however, the investigation comes after an irreversible loss: the death of an eight-year-old child whose life was cut short during what should have been an ordinary morning journey.