11 people injured in road accidents

CEBU, Philippines - Eleven people, including a priest and nuns, were injured after they figured in two separate road accidents in Cebu City and San Fernando town last Monday.

The first accident happened past 9am when the L-300 van ridden by a priest, four nuns, and three students turned turtle after it was hit by a cargo truck along the highway of barangay South Poblacion in San Fernando.

PO3 Marju Kim Misuari of the San Fernando Police said the truck, driven by Arwin Alfanta, was moving out of the Taihiyo Cement compound when it accidentally hit the van. The impact reportedly threw the van to the opposite side of the road and caused it to turn turtle.

The van was driven by Father Junly Cortez, Assistant Parish Priest of Saint Catherine College in Carcar City, while the passengers included Sisters Joana Atog, Lorenza Sajol, Aileen de Guzman, and Cleofe Oculam, and three students of the school.

Misuari said they are now waiting for the victims to file a formal complaint against Alfanta who is on temporary detention. Alfanta is facing a possible charge of reckless imprudence resulting to multiple injuries.

The victims are now recuperating at the hospital.

Meanwhile, a father and son were injured after the cargo truck they were riding dived into a 20-foot cliff past 6 pm in barangay Binaliw last Monday.

Investigation revealed that Alejandro Landero, Jr, 51 and his son Aljin, 18, were heading for barangay Guba to deliver around 150 sacks of cement, debris, and other construction materials when it encountered a ten-wheeler truck in a narrow road in barangay Binaliw.

In trying to evade the other truck, the victim’s vehicle reportedly drove through soft soil beside the road, which caused the vehicle to lose balance and subsequently fall off the cliff.

The father and son were safe but failed to appear before the Cebu City Traffic Division yesterday. The cargo truck is owned by Vic Enterprise, a hardware store located in barangay Mabolo. - Niña G. Sumacot/JMO   (THE FREEMAN)