5 dead, 9 hurt as tourist van falls into Mt. Province ravine

MANILA, Philippines — Five people died and nine others were injured after their vehicle fell off a cliff in Sadanga, Mountain Province Friday night.

Investigators said the victims were on their way to Buscalan, Tinglayan town in Kalinga when their white Nissan tourist van with license plate ND 9883 skidded and fell off a 50-meter cliff into a river at around 10 p.m. while negotiating the Mt. Province-Kalinga-Cagayan Road in Barangay Ampawilen.

Dead on the spot were driver Vance Quinto Hernandez Jr., Gerardo Navarro, 36; Veronica Hipolito, 36 and an unidentified woman. One Jay Niño Beland was declared dead-on-arrival at the Bontoc General Hospital.

Also taken to the Bontoc General Hospital for treatment of injuries were Mary Joy Reyes, 45, from Manila; Archie Reyes, 25, also from Manila; Cherish Quimpan Femal, 20, from Cavite; Manuel Lap, 26, from Malvar, Batangas; Elvis Acupan, 25, from Ilocos Norte; Arlette Sarmiento, also from Ilocos Norte; Ham Sua, 23, and Christine Cuidamat, both from Tagaytay City and Dan Dacoycoy 24, from Bacarra, Ilocos Norte.

Responders were from the municipal police, local government units, and personnel from the Bureau of Fire Protection. — Jun Elias