A tragic car accident claimed the life of 67-year-old Emilyn Pagaling late Wednesday night, just an hour after she arrived at Laguindingan Airport for a vacation.
The accident occurred at 11:58 p.m. on Diversion Road in Barangay Barra, Opol, involving a black Ford Expedition and a speeding Ford Everest driven by a 17-year-old minor with a non-professional license.
Pagaling, a former agricultural engineer from Malaybalay City, was traveling with her husband, Judito, 70, their daughter Kathleen Cecille, 36, and three minors. While all passengers sustained injuries, Pagaling succumbed to her injuries at the hospital.
Initial investigations revealed that the Ford Everest recklessly entered the diversion road and collided with the Expedition, which was en route to Cagayan de Oro City from the airport.
Pagaling’s son, Dr. Rey Jude Pagaling, expressed his grief and anger over the incident, highlighting the senselessness of the tragedy. “I worked hard to become a doctor, but I couldn’t save my mother,” he shared on social media, calling for accountability for the underage driver’s actions.
Emilyn Pagaling, a mother of seven, had returned from the United States to spend time with her family. Her death has reignited concerns about road safety and the risks posed by unqualified and reckless drivers.
