island14
10-16-2011, 10:41am
But it was certainly different..
I was talking to an Australian guy that recently moved to our island from Boracay when he got a call on his cell from his Australian friend who also came here from Boracay
The guy called to say that he had just hit an old woman who walked out in front of him with a motorcycle and she died instantly.
He was being detained at the police station on the other side of the island and needed help.
This guy whom I had only met the night before was not drinking, driving slow, but at the last second a woman walking at the side of the road just took a quick left into his path without even looking.
He felt really bad about it, but said there was nothing he could do to avoid hitting her and it was an accident.
In the Philippines when something like this happens the person that caused the death is expected to pay the funeral, and also a sum to the family. If they cannot, or do not, they will be held in jail until it gets sorted out in court.
The guy had his Filipina girl friend with him, but she is from Manila so does not understand the local language, and he also does not understand anything.
I offered to bring my friend Tata with us to go over there and help translate and talk to the family and police. Tata a local speaks Bisaya, and Tagalog, and also has decent English, so off we all went to see what we could do to help...
Once we arrived at the police station, it was just sit and wait for the family to get there to discuss the outcome of this all. and it was going to be at least a few hours until they would arrive.
Soooooooo...
I asked the police if they wanted to drink a bottle of Rhum, they declined but said it was ok if I wanted too. :D
So I asked if they would drink beer intead? most said yes, so here we were sitting at the police station drinking beer with the cops.
Things are pretty relaxed around here. :datawiz:
But they did refuse to let us borrow the police car! :toetap:
Anyway.. The girlfriend had gone to the hospital with the older woman and was with the family for awhile and had time to explain what happened to them.
They were sad but accepted it as an accident, and agreed to settle without going to court.
He agreed to give even more than what they asked for, and got to go back to his hotel instead of spending the night in jail.
I was talking to an Australian guy that recently moved to our island from Boracay when he got a call on his cell from his Australian friend who also came here from Boracay
The guy called to say that he had just hit an old woman who walked out in front of him with a motorcycle and she died instantly.
He was being detained at the police station on the other side of the island and needed help.
This guy whom I had only met the night before was not drinking, driving slow, but at the last second a woman walking at the side of the road just took a quick left into his path without even looking.
He felt really bad about it, but said there was nothing he could do to avoid hitting her and it was an accident.
In the Philippines when something like this happens the person that caused the death is expected to pay the funeral, and also a sum to the family. If they cannot, or do not, they will be held in jail until it gets sorted out in court.
The guy had his Filipina girl friend with him, but she is from Manila so does not understand the local language, and he also does not understand anything.
I offered to bring my friend Tata with us to go over there and help translate and talk to the family and police. Tata a local speaks Bisaya, and Tagalog, and also has decent English, so off we all went to see what we could do to help...
Once we arrived at the police station, it was just sit and wait for the family to get there to discuss the outcome of this all. and it was going to be at least a few hours until they would arrive.
Soooooooo...
I asked the police if they wanted to drink a bottle of Rhum, they declined but said it was ok if I wanted too. :D
So I asked if they would drink beer intead? most said yes, so here we were sitting at the police station drinking beer with the cops.
Things are pretty relaxed around here. :datawiz:
But they did refuse to let us borrow the police car! :toetap:
Anyway.. The girlfriend had gone to the hospital with the older woman and was with the family for awhile and had time to explain what happened to them.
They were sad but accepted it as an accident, and agreed to settle without going to court.
He agreed to give even more than what they asked for, and got to go back to his hotel instead of spending the night in jail.