Garbage truck loses brakes, 2 dead

CEBU, Philippines - Two men were killed while four others were injured after they were hit and dragged by a garbage truck yesterday afternoon in sitio Oprra, Barangay Kalunasan.

The city government-owned truck driven by Gerardo Lasangue, 56, was on its way from Unit 5 in Oprra when it suddenly lost brakes while maneuvering a downhill curve in Unit 3.

SPO1 Dionisio Galo of the Traffic Patrol Group identified the fatalities as Elvie Mabatin, 25, and Joseph delos Santos, 21.

Galo said that both Mabatin, a resident of Unit 5, and Delos Santos, of Unit 3, were having their motorcycles repaired at a shop in the area when they were hit by the truck around 2 p.m. yesterday.

The Department of Public Services garbage truck, bearing license plate number SHM-376, also hit Alvin Medija, 32, of Mt. View Village; Charles James Bakunawa, 28, of Unit 3; and Shine Nicole Romanaso, 2, also of Unit 3.

Galo said they were also dragged by the truck but were not as severely injured as the fatalities.

It took almost an hour before the two fatalities were rescued from underneath the truck.Mabatin was already dead, while delos Santos later died at the Cebu Doctors Hospital where he was taken by the Emergency Rescue Unit Foundation.

The injured victims, who sustained bruises in some parts of their bodies, were also taken to the hospital.

Galo said Lasangue was also treated at the Cebu City Medical Center after he was pinned to his seat after the crash.

He was, nevertheless, only slightly injured and was later released from the hospital.

Galo said the driver is now detained in their detention cell while charges for reckless imprudence resulting in double homicide, physical injury and damage to property are set to be filed against him today.

The driver said the brakes of the truck were defective.

He said that he was maneuvering downhill in Unit 3 after they collected garbage in Unit 5 when the brakes would no longer respond.

Kalunasan Barangay Captain Nonilon Monares, in an interview over GMA-7 Balitang Bisdak, confirmed it because he was already told by Lasangue when he borrowed it a month ago that the brakes were defective.

Monares said, they have been requesting from the city government to provide them with a new garbage truck because theirs was already damaged and no longer usable. (FREEMAN)