A Filipino man bound for Dubai was among two individuals who lost their lives in a tragic vehicular accident at the departure area of NAIA Terminal 1 on Sunday morning, just hours before his scheduled flight.
Dearick Keo Faustino, a 29-year-old senior supervisor at a publishing company, had been set to travel with two colleagues for a business trip involving meetings at Filipino schools in Dubai. But the promising journey turned into heartbreak for his family when a speeding SUV struck him near the terminal entrance at around 8 a.m.
Faustino had just stepped away to get a pushcart while his companions were unloading luggage when the accident occurred. According to his uncle, Fernando Nicolas, his coworkers initially couldn’t find him — until they saw him pinned underneath the vehicle.
“Nakita nila nasa ilalim na ng sasakyan, nakaipit,” Nicolas shared in an ABS-CBN News report.
What’s more painful for the family is the claim that Faustino may not have received immediate medical attention despite being visibly conscious after the incident.
“They were begging for help,” Nicolas said, expressing frustration that medical personnel seemed more focused on others with minor injuries. “Parang kinulang yung tulong na nakuha nila… maybe he had a chance if only help arrived sooner.”
Faustino was the main provider for his family in Hagonoy, Bulacan. Quiet and hardworking, he had been funding the education of his youngest sibling and had already helped another graduate. His death, the family says, shattered their hopes for a better future.
“Nawala yung pag-asa ng pamilya… siya yung tumutulong sa tatay nya,” said Nicolas.
The family is now calling for justice and a thorough investigation into the incident.
