Starlet dies in road mishap

LEGAZPI CITY — Starlet Halina Perez and her talent manager died on the spot while their four companions were critically injured when their Nissan Sentra smashed into a van in Camarines Sur yesterday morning, police said.

Perez, who had topbilled a number of sexy movies, suffered a broken neck, causing her instant death, according to doctors at the Tag-kawayan District Hospital in Quezon where the victims were rushed.

Perez’s talent manager Isaac Muñoz Jr., 45, was the other fatality. Their injured companions were driver Domingo Vallejos Jr., beautician Melon Antonio, talent Dana Garcil and Jerry Olais.

Perez’s group was returning to Manila after promoting Konica film products in photo studios here last Wednesday. They left this city at about 3:30 a.m. yesterday.

Police said Perez’s Nissan Sentra was negotiating a sharp curve along the Quirino Highway when it collided with a closed van loaded with tires at about 6 a.m. in Barangay Cumadaycaday in Del Gallego town.

The impact hurled the Nissan Sentra about five meters away from the highway.

Garcil told reporters at her hospital bed that she and Vallejos were the only ones awake when the accident happened. Perez, she said, was sound asleep on the center seat.