4 dead, 15 hurt in Marikina smashup

MANILA, Philippines - Four people were killed while 15 others were hurt when speeding dump truck hit a passenger jeepney and a motorcycle in Marikina City yesterday.

Three jeepney passengers – Rogelio Marasigan; Romualdo Ortiz and an unidentified woman – and the motorcycle rider, 45-year-old Renato Autida, were killed.

The accident caused a traffic jam at the corner of J.P. Rizal and Real streets in Barangay Concepcion Uno for several hours.

Police officers arrested truck driver Bobong Dumalagan, 33; and jeepney driver Jay Allapitan, 32. The two men will undergo physical examination to determine whether they were drunk at the time of the accident, Marikina City police chief Senior Superintendent Reynaldo Jagmis said.

Dumalagan told police he was speeding as he wanted to beat San Mateo, Rizal’s truck ban, which starts at 6 a.m.

According to reports reaching Jagmis, Dumalagan was on J.P. Rizal’s northbound lane when he tried to maneuver his dump truck (RHD-837) to overtake a vehicle at around 5:30 a.m. The truck occupied part of the opposite lane and hit Allapitan’s jeepney, which was going toward the city proper.

The truck came to a complete stop after hitting a lamppost, then fell on its side. The falling truck hit Autida, who was driving his Rusi motorcycle (8677 HY). Autida died while being treated at a hospital for head and body injuries.

Marikina’s rescue workers arrived at the scene and brought 13 of the jeepney’s passengers to the hospital. Jagmis identified them as Armando de Dios, 57; Justine Mae Sanchez; Cristeli Cayona, 13; Roberto San Andres, 50; Sotero Alburo Jr., 22; Felipe Casta, 66; Analyn Lacson, 29; Francis Bieles, 38; Katrina Liamson, 24; Julieta Cruz, 45; Cesar Salvudangut, 43; Niño Santillan, 38, and Jay Masirag.

Both drivers were also injured, Jagmis said.

Investigators are preparing charges of multiple homicide and multiple physical injuries with damage to property against Dumalagan and Allapitan before the Marikina City prosecutor’s office.

The two men are being held at the Marikina City police detention center.