17 hurt as same trike figures in 2 Isabela mishaps

TUGUEGARAO CITY, Philippines  – Seventeen persons, mostly students, were injured in separate vehicular accidents that occurred two days apart involving the same tricycle in the towns of Cabagan and Sto. Tomas, Isabela.

Last Sunday, eight students were injured when the tricycle driven by Melanio Villanueva fell into a ravine in the village of Caniogan West, in Sto. Tomas.

Isabela police director Senior Superintendent Sotero Ramos Jr. said Melanio’s tricycle was rear-ended by another tricycle driven by Pedro Cudal, who was hurt in the incident.

Aside from Cudal, among those injured were students Joanna Cammayo, Erika Tarun, Aira Joy Ramos, Jinky Bautista, Nicole Bautista, Ryza Mae Addatu, Mia Cudal, Reizabel Espejo, and Peter Ramos Cammayo.

Three days earlier, Villanueva also figured in another accident in Barangay Cubag, Cabagan town, injuring 10 students. Six of the victims were identified as students May Ramos, Jovelyn Ramos, Gil Rian Rodriguez, Melisa Mercad and Kenneth Bareno and motorcycle driver Rafael Adelan and his backrider, Claire Mabbayad, 18.

Police said Adelan swerved, hitting Villanueva’s tricycle.