TACLOBAN CITY- Tributes have poured in for broadcast journalist Eric Tupaz who died in a fatal car crash over the weekend.
Initial police investigation showed that Tupaz, 46, was driving his white-colored Hyundai Eon car towards his residence when he lost control of the vehicle upon reaching the curve area at Barangay Arado in Palo around 4:40 p.m. Saturday (April 27).
He accidentally bumped the road traffic sign which resulted his car to flip to the side and subsequently hit the electric post.
The injuries he sufferred from the hard impact led to his instant death.
“Eric had a big contribution to the broadcast industry in providing timely and relevant information to the public,” said Tacloban newspaper publisher and broadcaster Fred Padernos.
“Rest in peace broadcaster Eric. Your fellows in the media will truly miss you,” added Padernos.
His media colleagues condoled with the bereaved family.
“We had lots of happy moments during our time at DyVL especially when we were recording our news,” Roel Amazona of this paper,said.
Amazona was a former reporter of DyVL like Tupaz.
Tupaz worked with Tacloban-based radio stations such as DyVL-Aksyon Radyo of Manila Broadcasting Corporation, DyDW-Radyo Diwa, and Lamrag Radio of the Aliw Broadcasting Corporation. He also published a weekly newspaper.
Tupaz, a native of Dulag, Leyte, was the board president of Don Orestes Romualdez Electric Cooperative, Inc. (Dorelco) in Tolosa.
His family also clarified that no amount of alcohol was found in his body when the accident took place based from a doctor’s statement.
Tupaz was survived by his wife Irene and two children. (RONALD O. REYES)

TACLOBAN CITY- House Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo visited six soldiers who were wounded during an ambush at Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center (EVRMC) Saturday (April 27) afternoon where they are confined.
During her brief visit, the former President comforted the soldiers as she hope for their speedy recovery from the wounds they sustained after they engaged in a firefight with the rebel New People’s Army(NPA) in Barangay Beri Calbiga town in Samar province last April 23.
Six soldiers, who belong to the 46th Infantry Battalion, were also killed during the ambush, the worst suffered by the government troops in years at the hands of the rebels.
“We honor the bravery… of our brave soldiers and we hope that they will recover soon. But more than that, we hope that lasting peace will come to the Philippines,” Arroyo said during an interview after she visited the soldiers.
The soldiers, Private First Class Darwin Magoncia, Private First Class Joseph Salonga, Sergeant Gilbert Benito, Jr. and Private Rex Español, also received a cash assistance from the former President.
The House Speaker, who arrived at the EVRMC located in Barangay Cabalawan, this city, 4:40 pm and left on 5:10 pm, was joined by former Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez and Leyte Rep. Henry Ong and was welcomed by the hospital’s chief, Dr. Salvador Evardone.
Private Español, 25 and just in the service for over a year, said that she was surprised on the visit of Arroyo to them.
“I am happy and thankful for her visit to us,” he said.
Two of their companions, Private First Class Mark Kevin Frigillana and Corporal Reymart Vigilia were earlier discharged from the hospital
Meantime, Arroyo said that she supports on the decision of President Rodrigo Duterte to resume again the peace talks with the communist leaders, led by its founder, Jose Ma. Sison.
“I agree with what he decides,” she said.
Mr. Duterte has once again invited Sison to resume the peace talks with the Philippines government after he decided earlier to scrap the agreement citing the ambuscade incidents involving soldiers and police with the rebels despite of the peace talks.
(JOEY A. GABIETA)