5 hurt in road mishap

CEBU, Philippines —  At least five passengers were injured after a modern public utility jeepney (PUJ) overturned along Xiamen Street in Barangay Mabolo, Cebu City, on Thursday night, January 29.

The PUJ was driven by Joseph Angeles Mondido, 29, a resident of Sibonga town in southern Cebu.

Among the passengers were Asuncion Eran Batomalaque, 66, of Barangay Mactan, Lapu-Lapu City; Cuer Miguel Brigoli Jr., 24, of Barangay Mantuyong, Mandaue City; Edrillee Janelle Castillo, 27, of Talisay City; Hany Love Pimentel, 23, of Barangay Pahina Central, Cebu City; and Ivan Kurt Inot, 37, of Lapu-Lapu City.

Police said all five passengers sustained minor injuries. Three of them—Brigoli, Castillo, and Pimentel—were brought to the Cebu City Medical Center for treatment, while the other two passengers and the driver were treated as outpatients.

Initial investigation by the Traffic Enforcement Unit (TEU) of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) showed that the accident occurred at around 11:20 p.m. while the PUJ was traversing Xiamen Street. Authorities said the vehicle was loaded with passengers and was traveling northbound toward a mall in Mandaue City.

Based on Mondido’s account, he was traveling at a relatively slow speed of around 40 kilometers per hour while maneuvering along a curved portion of the road when the vehicle suddenly lost balance, overturned, and slammed onto the pavement, injuring passengers and damaging the jeepney.

Mondido, who was initially set to face charges of reckless imprudence resulting in multiple injuries and damage to property, was not detained after reaching a settlement with the victims. Police said the driver agreed to shoulder the victims’ hospital expenses.

In an interview with The Freeman on the night of the incident, Mondido said he lost control of the steering wheel, causing the jeepney to overturn.

“Pagwala sa kontrol sa manibela, pagtaod-taod nikalit lang og ana (natumba) ang sakyanan ba,” Mondido said.

He added that he has only been driving passenger vehicles for about a year.

Meanwhile, CCPO information officer Police Lieutenant Jose Los Baños said the driver may still be unfamiliar with the route, noting that Mondido is a new driver.

“Siguro dili pa familiar ang driver sa iyang route, considering nga bag-o pa siya nga driver,” Los Baños told reporters in a separate interview.

Los Baños added that authorities are also looking into allegations that the driver may have been racing other vehicles at the time of the incident.

The Mabolo accident was the second vehicular incident reported on Thursday, following an earlier case involving a traditional PUJ with route number 04H that overturned along Cebu Veterans Drive, Nivel Hills, Barangay Lahug, after reportedly losing its brakes.

That incident left three passengers hospitalized, and the driver, identified as Rodrigo Sanchez, was detained by the TEU and charged with reckless imprudence resulting in multiple injuries.

Amid the recent road mishaps, Los Baños urged motorists, especially PUJ drivers, to exercise discipline and prioritize passenger safety.

“Careful sila sa pag-drive ug ilang huna-hunaon nga dunay laing mga kinabuhi ang sakay nila. So, dapat careful,” he said.

Los Baños also reminded drivers to observe basic safety checks before operating their vehicles, including inspecting the brakes, engine, and other vital parts.