Car terrorizes campus; 4 hurt

A runaway car, which the driver claimed was "possessed by the devil," slammed into four children on their way to school and damaged three other cars before screeching to a halt outside a school in Caloocan City yesterday.

Seriously injured were Jacob Seboa, 7, and his brother Manuelito, 6, both residents of 98-A D. Aquino street in Caloocan City. They were taken to the Chinese General Hospital in Manila.

The two other victims taken to the Manila Central University Hospital were Chin Mei Chan, 10, and his brother, Carl Angelo, 9, both of Block 68, Lot 17, Paul street, Metrogate Subdivision, Barrio Calilan, Marulas, Bulacan.

SPO2 Ernesto Cabanayer of the Caloocan Traffic Enforcement Group said driver Danilo Bacos, 26, of Ringtown, Malanday, Valenzuela City, rammed into the victims who were on their way to the Philippine Cultural High School in Barrio Galino at about 6:45 a.m.

Probers said Bacos, who had driven his employer’s children to the same school, had just turned on the ignition of an automatic transmission Mitsubishi Galant (WCP-781) when it suddenly went out of control.

Bacos said when he pushed the car’s gear stick from "park to "drive," the car suddenly roared and lurched forward even without his stepping on the gas.

"Talagang misteryo pa rin sa akin kung paano nangyari yun. Parang sinapian yung makina," he told probers.

Probers said Bacos may have been unfamiliiar with driving a car with automatic transmission and could have panicked when the vehicle moved forward.

Cabanayer said Bacos first hit the side of a parked Honda CRV (XGY-837). Trying to avoid further damage, Bacos swerved to the left but found himself hitting the side of a parked Mazda 323 (VMC-268). By then, the Seboa brothers came into view and the confused Bacos still could not stop the car, hitting the two boys even as they tried to get out of harm’s way.

Bacos further slammed into the side of a passing taxi, hitting the Chan siblings before being finally stopped by a concrete wall.

Police filed charges against the suspect for reckless imprudence resulting in multiple physical injuries and damage to properties before the city prosecutor’s office.

Makati Road Mishap

A five-year-old boy was killed and five members of his family were injured after the vehicle they were riding in slammed onto a steel railing and turned-turtle Monday night in Makati City.

Police records identified the fatality as Francis Richiliou de la Rosa Aguirre, of Gen. Luna street, Barangay Ususan, Taguig. He was pronounced dead on arrival at the Makati Medical Center.

Injured and rushed to the same hospital were Efren Aguirre, 24; Maricris de la Rosa Aguirre, 24; Ramon Aguirre, 19; Michelle de la Rosa, 18; and Erlinda de la Rosa, 49.

Police have yet to confirm if the fatality was the son of Efren and Maricris.

The incident happened at around 9:50 p.m. along Gil Puyat Avenue in front of Mapua Tech, said case investigator, SPO2 Carlos Sebastian Gonda, of the Makati Traffic Enforcement Unit.

The victims were aboard a Toyota Revo wagon (UMC-176) driven by Efren Aguirre along Gil Puyat Avenue from EDSA heading toward Ayala Avenue.

However, the driver suddenly swerved to avoid a truck, first to the right then to his left, causing the vehicle to cross the center island and hit the steel railing.

The victims were pinned inside the vehicle after it turned upside down.

In Quezon City, a teenager was killed while another was seriously hurt after a jeepney rammed a taxi and tricycle the other night in Quezon City.

Authorities are currently looking for the driver of the jeepney (TVG-369).

Reggie Viñas, 19, of 106 Kasiyahan street, Barangay Holy Spirit, died instantly while Carlos Hamelon, 40, of 26-C Acacia street, Barangay Payatas; and Maximo Soliven, 31, of 70 Commodore street, Veterans Village were rushed to the hospital for treatment.

PO 3 Salvador Versoz of CPD Traffic Sector 5 said the incident happened 11:45 p.m. last Monday.

The taxi (TWN-177) driven by Hamelon and the tricycle (PY-1870), driven by Viñas were traversing on Holy Spirit street from Commonwealth toward Don Enrique Subdivision when the jeepney on the opposite lane swerved and rammed them.

Two vans parked nearby were likewise hit by the jeepney. – with Nikko Dizon, Katherine Adraneda