2 dead, 15 hurt in road accidents

CEBU, Philippines - Two elderly women were killed while 15 others were injured in separate vehicular accidents in the towns of Minglanilla, Dumanjug and Borbon over the weekend.

In the first incident, a 51-year-old woman died while six others were injured after the driver of the cargo truck they were riding fell asleep yesterday past 3 a.m. on the national highway of Barangay Poblacion Ward 3, Minglanilla.

The Isuzu cargo truck bearing license plate numbers GXA-714 fell on its side when the driver, Joel Ephan, 41, of Barangay Bae, Sibo-nga, allegedly fell asleep.

Declared dead at the Minglanilla District Hospital was Lorenza Canoy, of Barangay Duguan, Sibonga. She suffered extensive head injuries as a result of the accident.

Those injured were identified as Aurelia Rojo, 43; Lorena Amamangpang, 40; Melisa Torres, 20; Mark Español, 25; Resalina Gonzaga, 28; and the truck boy, Narciso Ortiz, 20. They were all rushed to the same hospital.

Of the six injured, Ortiz was described to be in serious condition.

He was taken to the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center but later transferred to the Sacred Heart Hospital in Cebu City.

PO2 Vincent Aliñabo, desk officer, said the cargo truck just came from the Carbon Public Market in Cebu City where it delivered vegetables and was heading to Sibonga town when the incident happened.

Aliñabo said that as Ephan fell asleep, the cargo truck swerved left hitting the railing of the center island. The strong impact caused the vehicle to fall to its side.

“Nangalabay ang uban, ang uban nangabusdak apil na to si Canoy,” Aliñabo said in a phone interview.

Ephan, who surrendered to the Sibonga Police Station, was turned over to the Minglanilla Police Station.

He is now detained at the Minglanilla stockade and may face charges for reckless imprudence resulting to homicide and multiple physical injuries.

In Dumanjug town,  Rosita Mondido, 65, of Barangay Liong, suffered internal hemorrhage after the motorcycle-for-hire she was riding was hit by a minivan along the national highway of the said barangay.

Mondido was first taken to the Barili District Hospital and was later transferred to the South General Hospital where she underwent an operation. Despite this she still died a few hours later.

Romeo Unabia, 40, driver of the Honda XRM with license plate numbers 7TC 04488, suffered head injury and was also taken to the same district hospital.

The motorcycle was heading towards Barangay Poblacion and was tailed by the van with license plate numbers GTN-544 driven by Richard Deniega, 48, around 7:00p.m. The van had one passenger.

PO3 Dionisio Tagupa, duty investigator, said the van was about to execute a left turn when the motorcycle also turned left, resulting in the collision.

The strong impact threw the motorcycle into the road causing injuries to victims.

“Kusog-kusog sad to’ng dagana,” Tagupa said.

The victims also did not wear helmets at the time.

Deniega is temporarily detained at the Dumanjug police stockade while waiting for the family of the victims to file charges against him.

In Borbon, eight persons were injured when the pick-up they were riding hit a tree and plunged into a farm lot around 1:30 p.m. along the national highway of Barangay Poblacion, Borbon.

Injured were Juan Armenton, Fresco Monilas, Wilson Collantes, Bernardo Alingaro, Diosdado Brigoli, Maximo Lacno, Mario Cu-yos, and Rodiardo Monsanto, all of legal ages and from the said barangay.

They were rushed to the Juan Dosado Memorial Hospital in Sogod town.

The victims were all on board a Kia pick-up with license plate numbers GDK-728 driven by Armenton. They reportedly came from Silveria beach resort in Barangay Campusong and were heading home when the incident happened.

SPO1 Richeleu Artista, desk officer, said that while the pick-up was traveling on the road, a passenger multicab suddenly came out from behind another vehicle.

This prompted Armenton to avoid the multicab causing him to hit a Gmelina tree and plunge into a farm lot.  The victims were already out of danger but are still being treated at the hospital.  —/BRP (FREEMAN)