At least 8 hurt in jeepney mishap

At least eight passengers were identified to have been injured when two jeepneys figured in an accident at the area of Pier 5 yesterday morning.

SPO2 Nelson Jaime of the Cebu City Police Office Traffic Management Group told The Freeman that one of the PUJs, with license plate GWV-185, has route 23D (for Mandaue City- Mactan Economic Processing Zone in Lapu-Lapu City), and the other, with license plate GVX-291) carried route 29 (for Lapulapu City-Cordova).

While the police were still investigating the cause of the accident between the two passenger jeepneys, with passengers from Cebu City, there were reports that there could be more injuries that were not yet accounted.

Those injured, who were treated at the Cebu City Medical Center, are Amanda Martinito, 45, Renalyn Martinito, 23, Jenalyn Martinito, 19, Lailadelyn Paredes, Stephanie Gonzaga, 18, and three female minors. They are all residents of Lapu-Lapu City and Cordova.

Jaime said the two drivers just disappeared shortly after the accident and there were reports only that one of them had surrendered to the Mandaue City Police Office Traffic Group. He added that responding traffic enforcers found one driver’s license under the name of Jason Reyes.

In a report from dyAB, a woman who claimed to be the daughter of one of the drivers involved in the accident said her father was named Pedro Sumapong.

She said that she was heading for Mandaue City and she happened to pass by the area where she saw her father’s jeepney had turned to its side already. She got off and tried to find him but he was not around, as well as the passengers.

The dyAB reported that there were at least 32 passengers, and 17 of them suffered injuries and taken to different hospitals. This has yet to be confirmed however.

Emergency room nurses however disclosed that most of the victims suffered only minor injuries and were released immediately after getting treatment for contusions and wounds, and given drug prescriptions.

Jaime said the failure of the drivers to report to the Traffic Group office yesterday caused the office to fail to issue an official report of the incident. — Edwin Ian Melecio/RAE