Lawmaker seeks probe of racing champ Buncio’s death

Photo from Team Suzuki Pilipinas Facebook

MANILA—The House of Representatives is set to conduct an inquiry into the shocking death of Superbikes racing champion Maico Greg Buncio.

Party-list Rep. Mark Aeron Sambar of the Puwersa ng Bayaning Atleta recently filed a resolution directing the House committee on youth and sports to look into the tragic accident on May 14 that claimed the life of Buncio, who crashed in a qualifying round of the Underbone King race at the Clark International Speedway in Clark Field, Pampanga.

Sambar said HR 1289 would try to determine whether safety standards in Philippine motorsports circuits and race tracks were enough, and whether race organizers at the Clark Speedway used international safety yardsticks.

The resolution also will seek to find out if the accident that killed Buncio could have been avoided.

Reports said the 22-year-old Buncio, a four-time national Superbikes champion, died hours after crashing into a steel bar reinforcement that was part of the race track’s unfinished safety barrier.

“Buncio contributed greatly to the development of local racing, providing inspiration to a lot of young potential riders to get into motorports, and bringing back excitement to and interest in superbike racing,” said Sambar.

“He is a big loss to motorcycle racing and to Philippine motorsports in general.”

The PBA representative also filed another resolution expressing the House’s sympathy and condolences to Buncio’s family.

Clark Speedway operator Johnny Tan welcomed the House investigation and vowed to cooperate with the proceedings.

“We will help shed light on the issue and, maybe, do something positive out of what happened,” said Tan, who bared they have been conducting a parallel inquiry into the tragedy.

He said they have been interviewing the contractors tasked with reinforcing the race circuit’s safety barriers.

Buncio died at the University of Santo Tomas Hospital in Manila the day after the accident. Doctors said he sustained punctured kidney and liver and expired while undergoing surgery.