Nephew of Mike A killed in Makati road mishap

A nephew of First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo was killed at dawn yesterday in a traffic accident in Makati City.

Authorities identified the fatality as Christopher James Tuason, 29, of 1 SMC Courts, Valle Verde V, Pasig City.

The victim was a son of Concoy Tuason, a first cousin of Mr. Arroyo, the Office of the First Gentleman told The STAR.

Initial investigation showed that the incident happened between 3 to 3:30 a.m. underneath the Magallanes MRT station.

In his report, case investigator SPO2 Onesimo Ricote said Tuason was driving his black Ford Lynx (XBB-699) on the southbound lane of EDSA toward Pasay City when his car rammed into the iron railings separating Pasong Tamo-bound and Magallanes-bound vehicles.

One of the iron bars smashed into the car’s windshield and hit Tuason in the face.

Investigators are still trying to determine what caused the accident.

Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Bayani Fernando said he has ordered an investigation into the incident.

"The MMDA will have to come up with more safety precautions if the area is indeed accident-prone," he said.

Fernando said the MMDA installed safety devices such as small humps and sandbags at the Ayala tunnel, where several vehicular accidents have taken place.

MMDA traffic chief Angelito Vergel de Dios, for his part, said the Department of Public Works and Highways has installed enough safety devices in Magallanes.

Vergel de Dios said the steel railings and plastic barriers were put by the MMDA to prevent vehicles going to Alabang and Manila from swerving as they enter the fly-over.

Shortly after Tuason’s accident, MMDA Metrobase also received reports on other vehicle mishaps.

A Metrobase staff said the roads were slippery early yesterday morning because of the sudden rains which could have caused the accidents.

In Manila, a 10-wheeler truck carrying charcoal fell on its side along Regalado street going to Quirino Highway at around 4:30 a.m.

The truck (JFJ-187) hit a closed van (UKH-268), and caused minor injuries on the van’s driver.

In Quezon City, a canter van (UDW-874) also fell on its side on the northbound lane of EDSA near SM City at around 5:32 a.m. The driver also sustained minor injuries.