Ecija man hit by Army truck dies

SAN ISIDRO, Nueva Ecija – A sexagenarian who was one of two persons seriously injured when an Army truck serving as a vehicle convoy of President Arroyo’s entourage rammed into three other vehicles in a four vehicle smash-up along the Gapan-Olongapo Road here Friday has died in the hospital, it was learned here yesterday.

Leopoldo Odullo, of Barangay Sto. Cristo in this town, was declared dead by attending physicians at the Good Samaritan Hospital in Cabanatuan City.

Odullo, 60, was one of those injured when the vehicular accident occurred Friday. The other is Ron-ron Tecson of Barangay Alua here, who is listed in critical condition at the Good Samaritan Hospital-Gapan City branch. 

Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Lorelei Fajardo, a Novo Ecijano who was with the President in her out-of-town trip, said Malacañang will shoulder all the expenses of the victims of the vehicular accident. 

Police Inspector Armando Cruz, officer-in-charge of the San Isidro police, said the vehicular accident took place in front of a gasoline station in Barangay Poblacion at 10:30 a.m. Friday when a 6 x 6 Army truck (SGK-278) driven by Army Staff Sgt. Joel Sumahid and with a member of the elite Presidential Security Group (PSG) on board, slammed into a Baja tricycle driven by Tecson.

The impact of the collision sent the tricycle (OJ-3969) smashing into the Suzuki Shogun 125 (S-9511) driven by Pedro Sortiz of Barangay Putlod, Jaen which in turn plowed into a Suzuki X-4 tricycle with license plate RT-3774 driven by Victoriano Santiago.

The occupant of the Army truck, Air Force Sgt. Marvin Herrera, a member of the PSG and Santiago were both unhurt.

Sumahid, who is assigned in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City, said the truck lost its brakes which caused it to ram into the tricycle. He said the truck was running at a moderate speed when the mishap happened.

Sumahid has been detained at the San Isidro police station.

Herrera said he was seated at the rear of the truck watching over a K-9 dog when the accident happened. They were on their way to nearby Jaen tailing President Arroyo’s group.

Reacting to the incident, San Isidro Mayor Sonia Lorenzo said it was saddening, particularly since the one involved was a convoy of the President. “They should have been more careful in driving around the highway more so, because they are with the President,” she said.