9 dead as jeepney falls into Sagada ravine

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet — Nine persons were killed and nine others seriously injured yesterday when a passenger jeepney plunged into a ravine in Sagada, Mountain Province, where the dirt roads have become slippery due to intermittent rains spawned by typhoon “Mina.”

Engineer Jojo Valera of the Office of Civil Defense said the passenger jeepney with license plates AYC 448 was bound for Besao town when the accident occurred before noon along the unpaved highway in Barangay Dantay in Sagada.

Valera said the jeepney driver, Eduardo Masweng, tried to avoid a road obstruction and swerved off the road then fell into the ravine.

Mountain Province policemen and bystanders helped rescue the victims.

Valera identified the fatalities as Adelyn Bad-ay, John Botengan Sr.,  Philip Aida Sr., Tuesday Bigalan, Rosa Bal-i, Paulyn Boko, Francis Buyagan, Bellana Balisong, and Cynthia Banga-an.     

The injured victims were: driver Masweng, Saturnina Tade, Sylvia Balangyao, Libby Tadi, Lyn Payangdao, Feliza Balaw-is, Janice Bayden, Billana Bayudang, and Daniel Tano.

The victims were rushed to the St. Theodore’s Hospital in Sagada and the Bontoc Provincial Hospital.

The casualties of the ill-fated jeepney, according to Valera, were brought to the morgue unit of the Bontoc hospital.

The accident was reportedly the worst road mishap in the Mountain Province this year.