CEBU, Philippines - They were there to attend a wake, but many of them ended up joining their loved one in the afterlife instead.
Four died, while four others were injured in a vehicular accident along the National Highway in barangay Fortaliza, Tuburan town, last Friday evening.
Ten-year-old Janine Oros, a resident of Fortaliza, was killed on the spot after she and a companion were hit by a Nissan Frontier truck with license plate number GTF-758 driven by Anthony Cabintoy, 26
Seven other victims were rushed to the Tuburan District Hospital but three of them died along the way. They were identified as seven-year-old Janine Tahanlangit; Jessica Sayson, 14 and Levi Tapil, 34, all also residents of Fortaliza.
The others were identified as five-year-old Richard Tapil; Gina Antonio, 34 and Daisy Mae Tapil, 12 and James Lester Gecain. Except for Gecain the others were later transferred to the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center in Cebu City.
The victims were attending a wake when the accident happened.
Cabintoy, of barangay Carmelo, Tuburan, is the son of barangay captain Alice Cowley of barangay Colonia.
Police initial investigation revealed that Cabintoy just left his mother’s house in Colonia and was driving back to his house in barangay Carmelo with his five-year-old son and father-in-law around 7:30 a.m.
Upon reaching Fortaliza the rear right tire of his truck exploded and Cabintoy lost control of his vehicle and ploughed into some vehicles parked by the roadside.
The truck first hit a motorcycle, then a tricycle and a group of people attending a wake.
The injured were brought immediately to the Tuburan District Hospital on board on a Corominas bus which just happened to pass by the area.
According to Senior Insp. Timar Alam Cabintoy was also on the bus but later disembarked because he was afraid he would be beaten up by the relatives of the victims.
“Nahadlok pud ni siya sa pulis mao wala ni siya ni-surrender dayon,” Alam said.
But around 10 a.m. yesterday Cabintoy surrendered to the Tuburan police station escorted by a barangay tanod of Carmelo.
Alam said that Cabintoy will be charged for reckless imprudence resulting to damage to property and multiple homicide on Monday. He is now detained at the Tuburan police station.
Meanwhile, a timekeeper died after he was hit by a bulldozer inside Carmen Copper Corp. in Lutopan, Toledo City, last Friday morning.
Police identified the fatality as Florante Labora, 32, married, a resident of barangay Sangi, Toledo City, and the bulldozer driver as William Selisana, 49, a resident of Lutopan.
Both the victim and Selisana are employees of Galeo Construction Firm.
SPO3 Carmelito Hornales of the Toledo police that around 5:30 a.m. Selisana was taking away some waste materials and hit Labora.
Selisana insisted he did not see anybody in his way at the time.
Selisana surrendered after the incident and is now detained at Toledo District Hospital.
Hornales said that Selisana will be charged with reckless imprudence resulting to homicide. — Gabriel C. Bonjoc/BRP(FREEMAN NEWS)