Former judge, 2 others killed in road mishap

BAGABAG, Nueva Vizcaya — A former municipal trial court judge and two others were killed after the car he was driving was hit by a passenger passenger here on Thursday.

Police said the vehicular accident claimed the lives of lawyer Renato Mercado, a former municipal circuit trial court judge of Quirino province, and two others — Sandy Aguilar, 19, a student; and Maggie Mae Suarez, 29, a housewife.

Investigators said Mercado lost control of the steering wheel after his car, a Toyota Corola with license plate UHV-961, was hit at the rear by an oversized Tamaraw passenger jeep, with license plate BBV-297, while cruising the national highway in Barangay Lantap here.

The strong impact caused the lawyer’s car to slam onto a parked Toyota Hi-Ace van and a wooden post.

Mercado, who lost his bid for a seat in the provincial board here in last month’s elections, was declared dead on arrival at the Medical Mission Group hospital in nearby Solano town here.

Police said Mercado, who reportedly came from a court hearing in neighboring Lamut town in Ifugao province, sustained fatal injuries in the different parts of his bodies.

The two other victims, Aguilar and Suarez, also sustained fatal injuries in different parts of his body.

The passenger jeep, driven by one Jefrey Foy-Awen of Bontoc, Mountain Province, slammed onto a concrete wall, causing its driver to also sustain several injuries.

Police are now readying charges of multiple homicide and other cases against the passenger jeep driver who was reportedly drunk when the accident took place.