5 dead, 1 hurt in road mishap

MABALACAT, Pampanga – Five people were killed and another was critically injured in a collision of three vehicles at kilometer post 86 near the exit of the North Luzon Expressway in this town at around 4 a.m. yesterday, police said.

SPO1 Rener Garcia, a local police investigator, said the accident occurred after a northbound Elf truck suddenly swerved to the southbound lane of the NLEX, hitting another Elf truck loaded with eggs and chicks.

He said the driver of a southbound RCG bus stepped on the brakes, but the bus still hit the back of the Elf truck which had been smashed on its front by the wayward northbound truck.

Garcia said the driver of the northbound truck, Francis Tomelden, and three of his passengers – Matias Hiterosa, his son Mar, and one Raul Ibouan – died on the spot, together with the driver of the other Elf truck, a certain Juanito Cadonsigatla.

The driver and the 21 passengers of the RCG bus were unharmed. Another passenger of the northbound truck, Raymund Madriaga, was reported to be in critical condition. – Ding Cervantes, Ric Sapnu