British tourist's father asked to pay for repairs for dead son's crashed bike rental

A British tourist was killed in a motorcycle accident while on vacation in Siargao, Surigao del Norte. The young 20-year old, Paul Whitelaw, crashed on a dark road and collided with a tree nearby with nails sticking out of it. Unfortunately, grief quickly turned to anger as the man’s family was asked by the resort that owns the motorcycle for compensation for the damaged vehicle, according to this report.

The incident happened on Monday this week. The tourist’s father, Jack Whitelaw, just recently arrived in Siargao to bring his son’s body home. Upon arrival, he was contacting by the resort that owns the motorcycle in question. The resort claimed that the scooter was still in police custoday and they could not claim it.

The boy’s father argued that his son did not have a valid license in the UK, much less in the Philippines and should have never been allowed to rent or ride the motorcycle.

The resort presented the father with a signed waiver and claimed his son agreed to the terms and was provided with a “strong helmet.” It later took back the request for payment, but continued to claim it never did anything illegal. It went on to say that “fatal accidents” like these happen “every day” because of Siargao’s dark roads and many other drunk pedestrians and fellow riders.

Nonetheless, the boy’s father vowed to file legal charges against the resort.

Do you think it was appropriate for the resort to ask for compensation for the motorcycle?

accident siargao tourist