7 persons killed in van mishap

CAMP VICENTE LIM, Laguna , Philippines  – Seven people, mostly students, were killed while five others were injured when a luxury vehicle they were riding smashed into a Meralco post along Governor’s Drive in Barangay Langkaan 1, Dasmariñas, Cavite, yesterday morning.

Senior Superintendent Danilo Maligalig, newly installed Cavite provincial director, said the seven fatalities were Edmund Laurente, Robin Joseph Regala, Ranilo Peña, Ray­mund Catimbuhan, Dhan Rick Valerio, Runard Villa­mor, and Harold Sarmiento.

Maligalig said five of the victims, students of the De La Salle University in Cavite, were declared dead on the spot due to strong impact.

The injured – Eduardo Caasi, 22; Remante Carillo, 26; Adolfo Abcebe, Ronald Reyes and one unidentified were also brought to the hospital. They sustained bruises and fractured bones.

According to initial investigation, the vehicular accident took place at around 4:30 a.m. yesterday, when a Toyota Prado they were riding was speeding fast and suddenly bumped into a Meralco post.

Maligalig said the victims had just come from Tagaytay when they met the accident.

He said investigators are now conducting investigation to determine the cause of the incident and to find out if the driver was under the influence of liquor, or their vehicle had an engine trouble causing the driver to lose control of the wheels.