Barili cops suing truck driver today

CEBU, Philippines - The police are filing today criminal complaints for reckless imprudence resulting in multiple homicide, physical injuries and damage to properties against the driver of the 10-wheeler wing van truck that killed two persons and injured 17 others in Barangay Sta. Ana, Barili, Cebu last Saturday.

Insp. Arvi Arbuis, Barili police chief, said they will pursue the filing of the complaint despite the amicable settlement entered into by the truck owner Arnel Vera with the victims.

Vera is personally taking charge of the burial and medical expenses of the victims.

“Dili ingon nga na-settle na i-release na, ipasaka namo ang kaso sila na la’y bahala inig abot sa (Just because they have settled amicably we would already release him. We will file the case and it would be up to them what to do once the complaint reaches the) fiscal’s office,” Arbuis told The FREEMAN.

Besides, the families of the victims have not executed any affidavit of desistance.

Arbuis said he was just concerned because the reglamentary period, or the number of hours the police could keep driver Abines Quiñanola in their custody without a complaint being file yet, ends at 5 p.m. today.

“Lisod man gud kay duha ra ba ni ang patay (We are just making sure because two died),” Arbuis said.

He said they are just waiting for the families of the casualties to provide copies of the death certificates so they could already file the case against Quiñanola, a resident of Alang-alang, Mandaue City, Cebu.

Quiñanola was driving the truck (YKP 197) loaded with pallets of beer when he lost control of the steering wheel after the  brakes malfunctioned, causing the truck to ram a house, a store and an Internet cafe past 6:30 a.m.

Both Anderson Vergara, 11, who was playing an online game, and Jennifer Martillan, 22, who was by the side of the road carrying her three-month-old baby, died on spot as a result of the incident.  Jennifer’s baby Larry John also suffered injuries.

The police identified the others who were also injured as John Phillip Gorro, five; Franklin Gorro, 14; Maria Flordeline Gorro, seven; John Carlo Gorro, six; Mary Joy Gorro, four; Michael Silituna, 11; Florencio Silituna, 48; Romeo Bayabos, 53; Jude Martin Buhay, eight; Jose Aguilar, 53; Joshua Vergara, 14; Roque Vergara, nine, all of the said barangay.

Quiñanola was also injured along with his truck helper Elmer Culango, 20, of Tipolo, Mandaue City, and passenger Rose Mae Libante, 35, of San Carlos City, Negros Oriental.

The truck was supposed to transport the liquor to Malabuyoc town from Cebu City when it figured in the accident.

Quiñanola told the police he could no longer control the truck while negotiating a descending portion of the road.— (FREEMAN)