Cebu

Cebu Daily News reporter covering Pamplona massacre dies after road mishap

John Sitchon

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Cebu Daily News reporter covering Pamplona massacre dies after road mishap

FATAL ACCIDENT. Cebu Daily News digital journalist Pegeen Sararaña, died on March 13, 2023 a day after a road accident in San Jose, Negros Orienta while covering the aftermath of the March 4 Pamplona massacre that killed governor Roel Degamo and eight others.

Pegeen Sararaña Facbeook page

Family and colleagues remember Pegeen Sararaña's kindness and gentleness, and media friends raise funds for family

CEBU, Philippines – Cebu Daily News (CDN) digital journalist Pegeen Sararaña died on Monday evening, March 13, a day after a vehicular accident in San Jose, Negros Oriental.

According to CDN, Sararaña was in Negros Oriental covering the Pamplona massacre, which took the lives of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo and eight others.

Sararaña was a passenger on the motorcycle of her boyfriend, Niel Ian Balcobero, at around 3 pm on Sunday, March 12.

They were about to turn left at a crossing in Barangay Tampi, San Jose, when an elf truck hit their vehicle while overtaking a long-bed truck.

Sararaña and Balcobero were immediately admitted to the Negros Polymedic Hospital in the Municipality of Sibulan.

“Pegeen succumbed to head injuries,” CDN wrote in their statement.

Police reports identified the driver of the elf truck as Nielric Tano Gaso, a resident of Amlan town.

He was held at the San Jose Police Station, but released after the end of the 18-hour reglementary period.

“The police investigator said that since the family is yet to file a formal complaint against the suspect, they were left with no other choice but to release the driver,” CDN wrote.

Sararaña’s father and sister Claire arrived in Negros Oriental late Sunday evening, March 12.

In loving memory

Sararaña was born on October 25, 1998. She started her career as a journalist in 2020, writing stories on crime and police operations in Cebu City for CDN Digital.

“The loss of someone special and close to you, especially a family member, is devastating,” Claire Sararaña Lauglaug said in a Facebook post.

Members of local media mourned the death of the young reporter. 

“CDN Digital joins the family, friends, and the entire journalism community in mourning the loss of Pegeen,” read CDN’s statement.

The Cebu chapter of the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP Cebu) also shared their sympathies and condolences in a statement released on Tuesday: “She was known and loved by her friends in the media for her kindness and gentleness…. She is deeply missed by her family, colleagues, and loved ones.”

To help Pegeen Sararaña’s family, donations can be sent to her account with Security Bank, No. 0000041174010. – Rappler.com

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