At the scene of the crash at Ninoy Aquino International Airport on May 4, 2025.

A Filipino man bound for Dubai was among two people killed after an SUV rammed into a group of passengers at the entrance of Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1 on Sunday (May 4). The 29-year-old victim, identified as Dearick Faustino, was at the airport to board a flight for a six-day business trip to Dubai where he was scheduled to have a series of meetings with Filipino schools. Faustino, a senior supervisor for a publishing company and the breadwinner of his family, was among the individuals pinned when the SUV crashed into the entrance area. His remains are now in wake at Barangay Abulalas in Hagonoy, Bulacan. He was supposed to celebrate his 30th birthday on May 29. Faustino’s family is grieving deeply, especially his loyal dog, Blue, who was seen keeping vigil beside his coffin. “The dog is always with him, even when he slept,” the family shared. His uncle, Ferdinand Nicolas, described Faustino as someone with big dreams for his loved ones. “Accepting his death is difficult because he had a lot of dreams for his family,” Nicolas told the media in Filipino. Nicolas also raised concerns about the lack of immediate medical assistance at the scene. He said that two people who were with Faustino at the airport witnessed him still moving and responding after being pinned. “They were begging for help for medical assistance and saw him move and respond to them. I hope they gave him immediate medical assistance so he could have been rushed to the hospital and had a chance to be saved,” Nicolas said in Filipino. “The police told us he was dead on the spot, but his two companions, who also gave their statements to police, said they saw him move and they also spoke to him. So we don’t understand why there wasn’t immediate medical help,” he added. The other fatality was a four-year-old girl, the daughter of an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) en route to Europe. The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) on Monday (May 5) vowed to extend full assistance to the families of both Faustino and the young girl. Meanwhile, NAIA Police Station 1 confirmed that the SUV driver responsible for the fatal crash underwent inquest proceedings on Monday and now faces multiple charges. These include reckless imprudence resulting in two counts of homicide, multiple physical injuries, and damage to property. An investigation is underway. The tragic incident has sparked calls for better safety protocols and emergency response at airport terminals. ICA/Expat Media
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