After another fatal accident in Cebu City’s SRP tunnel; motorbike ban pushed

The Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (CCDRRMO) wants motorcycles banned from passing through the South Road Properties tunnel after another accident took the life of a young woman.

The SRP tunnel is an entry and exit passage to and from Cebu City to the southern part of the province which is why it is a traffic choke point during the morning and evening rush hours.

The latest fatal pileup happened on December 10 with at least 7 injured and 1 dead after a sports utility vehicle (SUV) crashed into 6 motorcycles.

Reports said that the driver of the SUV, Tareq Leleng Farha, lost control of his vehicle when he had to suddenly stop because motorcycles were parked inside the tunnel. Because the rain made the road slippery, the SUV rammed into the motorcycles and the riders.

The fatality was 26-year old Stephanie Hetutua, a motorcycle rider.

Based on reports from local media outlets, at least 3 major accidents involving motorcycles have happened in the SRP tunnel since November.

CCDRRMO officer-in-charge Ramil Ayuman, alarmed by the spate of accidents, said he was recommending that motorcycles be banned from accessing the SRP tunnel.

According to the Freeman, Ayuman cited an earlier recommendation of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to prohibit motorcycles from using the tunnel.

The city government noted that there were numerous cases of motorcycles stopping inside the tunnel during heavy rain. The CCDRMO has now formed a team to patrol inside the SRP tunnel to prevent this.

CCDRMO has also initiated discussing this matter with SRP management and the Cebu City Traffic Office (CCTO). In a report by CDN Digital, Ayuman said that they were considering putting up signages to remind the public not to remain inside the tunnel. – Rappler.com