Truck rams houses, vehicles

CEBU, Philippines - Two houses, two vehicles, a small chapel, several water meters and an electric post were destroyed after an Isuzu platform hit them at 2:20 a.m. yesterday at S. Osmeña St., Barangay Tinago, Cebu City.

The Isuzu platform, bearing plate numbers GVY 963, was carrying16 four by four steel bars. Because of the heavy load at its back, the truck’s front portion rose.

PO2 Edwardo Becoy of the Traffic Patrol Group said the vehicle was traveling from Pier 6 in Cebu City and was bound for Barangay Villadolid, Carcar to deliver the steel bars.

The driver, Jennifer Cornelio, 33, of Barangay Balud, San Fernando town, lost control of the vehicle.

The vehicle swerved to the right and first hit the left side of a passenger jeepney parked along the road. The jeepney was then pushed to the right and hit a parked motorcycle.

Becoy said the Isuzu platform moved forward and hit the window at the second floor of a two-storey house, damaging an air-conditioning unit. It continued to move forward and hit at least 11 water meters owned by the Metro Cebu Water District then to the left side of the small chapel.

The vehicle then hit a small house made of light materials and an electric post before it stopped.

Becoy said the vehicle was just one of the several trucks traveling between Cebu City and Carcar to deliver the steel bars early that morning.

“Bug-at na kayo tingali ang karga maong pag-abot sa S. Osmeña St., ming-hang nya di na makontrol sa driver. Mi-swerve to the right, musanyad sa yuta then mu-hang na pud hantod nangaigo na tong mga sakyanan ug balay,” he said.

Responding policemen from the Traffic Patrol Group of the Cebu City Police Office placed the driver under their custody.

Becoy said no one was injured except for the driver, who was wounded in his face after some residents of the area mauled him. He reportedly had his co-workers with him but they escaped when they saw the driver being attacked.

In the morning, Becoy said the driver was released after the manager of the trucking company where he worked arrived at the Traffic Patrol Group office and settled the matter with the owners of the damaged properties. (FREEMAN)