BEHIND THE SCENES

Alfred P. Dizon
How I cheated death

NAGUILLAN, La Union – I was cruising down from Baguio to Bauang when in the flick of a second, I almost died at Barangay Aguioas here. A van from the other side of the lane suddenly curbed in front of my car causing me to swerve to the left.

At breakneck speed, my car hit a large stone making the vehicle fly meters away. It landed on the bushy incline, somersaulted three times down the ravine then landed around 20 meters from the road. A few more turns and the vehicle could have hit the river below.

This is it, I was telling myself as the car was turning. I was praying it would stop and stop it did – roof down. I was pinned in the driver’s seat as the roof collapsed. Thinking the car would explode anytime if the tank burst, I forced my chest to the passenger’s side so I could take off the seat belt. I got it off, slowly inched my way to the window, broke other parts of the glass and went out the car.

I checked myself for injuries and found heavy scratches and a deep cut on my wrist. I was having a hard time breathing due to the impact. Around 10 minutes later, residents of the place gathered and two men came to help. I requested them to get important papers and belongings inside the car while I made a tourniquet at my wrist with my handkerchief since the wound was bleeding profusely.

There were a lot of people up the road by the time I reached it. I asked them if anybody would please dial my cell phone since it was nowhere to be found. It rang far from where the car landed beside an acasia tree. It was handed to me so I dialed the other phone and luckily it rang a few meters away.

I asked if somebody knew the number of the Naguiillan police which I dialed. PO3s Romeo G. Supsupen, Ronald Quitasol and Benjamin Costales came around 15 minutes later and brought me to the town hospital around two kilometers away. The nurse gave me painful tetanus injections and prescribed medicines.

When it was done, we went to the nearby police station where I gave an account of what happened for their blotter. Done, I called Benguet Electric Coop. general manager Gerardo Versoza for assistance in towing the car. He said he was in Manila but would dispatch immediately a truck and a crew. I requested the policemen to bring me to the site after telling Gerry I would wait for the Beneco crew there.

Nobody was in the area by the time we were there. I told the helpful policemen I could stay behind so they could do other things. They asked me if I was sure. I told them I was in good condition so they went back to their station telling me to double check later their blotter of the incident if I had time.

So I waited. It was dark by the time the Beneco crew came. They told me they came from their homes, Saturday being a holiday. They were finally able to haul the car to the road around 9.30 p.m. We left the vehicle in the area as towing it would incur more damages. It had to be transported atop a truck.

At that time, newsman March Fianza texted me asking where I was since the media awards ceremonies were going on at the Supreme Hotel In Baguio. I told him I could not attend since I met an accident but I was alright. We ate dinner of pinikpikan at a nearby house of a Beneco employee.

When I was in Baguio around 11 p.m., I went to Rumours, a media watering hole since I heard from some old men then in my hometown Sagada, that it was not good to go home straight right after an accident. Some media men like Toots Soberano were around and asked me what happened. I told them I just did some gymnastics in the area since I was not a Beijing qualifier.

A day after, my Korean friend Adrian Lee asked me why I didn’t call him when the incident happened so he could have helped somehow. I told him that like my family, I didn’t want to unduly alarm anybody as everything was under control.

It was only on Thursday that we finally hauled the car, for a minimal fee. We brought it to La Trinidad, Benguet after we found a good towing truck owned by Top Ace along Magsaysay Road in Baguio. I earlier asked some people at the Department of Public Works and Highways for a truck or an iron plank where the wheels of the car could pass but I was passed from one person to another saying their bosses were holding a meeting. Luckily, Merlyn of Kane Heavy equipments recommended Top Ace as suitable for the job.

Looking back, the incident made me realize the fragility of life – that one could go to the Great Beyond anytime. I thank God every time for giving me a new lease in life and for making me realize that worldly possessions are not that important as compared to the people we love.

I would like to thank the Naguillan police, GM Versoza, the Beneco personnel, Top Ace crew Bumper and Nick and many residents of the area particularly the Acosta clan who offered their help during the incident.

The white car, courtesy of Adrian and Eun Kyung Lee is still lying, untouched, but scheduled for rehab. When I look at it, I feel a tender feeling for the machine like it is a son who saved me from death. I fondly look, caress and give it high fives every time I have the occasion.