A farewell smile for the last memory
TARLAC CITY, Philippines – Television actor Antonilo Joseph Perez, better known as AJ Perez, and one of the stars in the popular ABS-CBN drama series "Sabel," died after the van that his group was riding in collided with a bus in Moncada, Tarlac, early Sunday, police said.
Police officer 3 Lowel Directo, investigator of the Moncada police, said Perez and his five companions were aboard a Nissan Urvan and were on their way to Metro Manila when they met the accident along the MacArthur Highway in Barangay San Julian, Moncada, at 12:10 a.m. Perez’s group came from a show in Dagupan City.
The victims were taken by their companions on another vehicle to the Rayos Valentin Hospital in Paniqui town but doctors there failed to revive Perez.
Philippine National Police spokesperson Agrimero Cruz Jr. said in a text message that Perez was traveling along McArthur Highway in San Julian, Tarlac when the accident happened.
Initial investigation showed that the actor was aboard a Nissan Urvan registered to ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation when the vehicle collided with a Partas provincial bus.
The 18-year-old Perez was pronounced dead on arrival by attending physicians at a hospital in Paniqui, Tarlac around 12:20 a.m. Sunday.
Perez's father and four others were also aboard the van and were reportedly injured. The five were immediately rushed to Rayos-Valentine Hospital and are now undergoing treatment.
Injured were Gerardo Perez (father), driver Christopher Bautista, Christina Ferrer, Edwin Patelos and Danny Linunga.
Perez was in Dagupan on Saturday for the Kapamilya Karawan for the Bangus Festival. He was joined by Star Magic artists Matt Evans and Zaijian Jaranilla.
His five injured companions were later transferred to the Jecson Hospital in Tarlac City and then to a hospital in Metro Manila.
Directo said police could not say if Perez's vehicle was sideswiped, as reported in several blog posts. But he said their initial investigation showed that the accident was not a head on collision
