By JEN BAYLON

A 21-year-old candidate for the Lin-ay sang Silay pageant died after the motorcycle she was riding collided with a parked truck along Circumferential Road in Bacolod City on Wednesday, May 14.

Police identified the fatality as Rahsel Tayco, a college student pursuing a Bachelor of Secondary Education degree, and a resident of Barangay E. Lopez in Negros Occidental’s Silay City.

Bacolod Traffic Enforcement Unit head, Lt. Colonel Ramel Sarona said Tayco was traveling from Silay City to her school in Bacolod, when the motorcycle, driven by 49-year-old Jocil Roncal, a resident of Ilog town’s Barangay Delicioso, collided with the rear of a parked canter truck.

According to eyewitnesses, another motorcycle struck their vehicle prior to the collision.

Sarona said the impact from the motorcycle reportedly caused Roncal to lose control.

Tayco’s helmet broke due to the strong impact, police said.

She sustained serious injuries and was rushed to the hospital but was declared dead on arrival.

Tayco was supposed to represent Barangay E. Lopez in the Lin-ay sang Silay pageant in June of this year.

Meanwhile, Roncal was released by authorities after the regulatory period for detention had lapsed./JB, WDJ