BY: VANESSA BUGTONG

The family of a 65-year-old man who died after being hit by a pickup truck continues to grieve his loss and is calling for justice.

Vanessa Ventura Parchamento, the victim’s daughter, shared the pain of losing her father, Danilo, who was killed after the pickup truck encroached on the opposite lane and struck him. Vanessa said the family still finds it hard to believe what happened and wishes it was just a bad dream.

She described her father as a friendly and cautious driver. In fact, he was supposed to drive the family for a vacation this Holy Week, a plan that will no longer happen. Vanessa recalled how much she cherished their conversations during long drives, saying, “If only I knew, I would have recorded those talks—those were my favorite moments with him.”

Beyond the pain of losing their father, Vanessa said what hurts even more is that they were not given the chance to repay him for his decades of sacrifice. Their father worked hard as a taxi driver for over 40 years to provide them with a good life and help them finish their studies.

“In our current state—now that we’re stable—we just wanted him to feel that all those 40 years of sacrifice on the road were worth it. We even told him to stop driving already because he was getting old,” she said.

Vanessa also recounted the heartbreaking moment at the hospital when her father was being revived. “From the time he was hit to when we arrived at the hospital, they tried to revive him 10 times.”

She expressed gratitude to those who offered condolences, but also shared the emotional toll of pursuing legal action. “I know we won’t be able to cope easily. If it was just a heart attack, maybe we could accept it. But now, we have a case to face, and we’ll be reminded of this again and again.”

The 22-year-old driver of the pickup was immediately arrested but was temporarily released after posting bail.

Baguio City Police Office spokesperson PMaj. Marcy Grace Marron said the case will be raffled off to a court, and the family is waiting for the schedule of the hearing.

Despite the pain, the family remains hopeful that justice will be served for Danilo, a beloved father and husband.