5 hurt as sugarcane truck rolls over

TUGUEGARAO CITY, Philippines – Five persons were injured when a truck loaded with sugarcane rolled over in Ilagan City, Isabela Thursday night.

The victims – Elvis Amogawen 19; Jefferson Vinasoy, 20; Mark Christian Millares, 21; Benigno Balao,  32, and Florita Balao, 52 – were buried under tons of sugarcane, said Superintendent Vicente Valdez city police chief.

They were rushed to the Governor Faustino Dy Sr. Memorial Hospital for treatment.

Four utility vehicles and five tricycles were damaged in the accident that occurred in front of the Isabela police headquarters in Barangay Baligatan at around 8 p.m.

Reports said truck driver Marlon Custodio lost control of the wheel as he was driving along the Maharlika Highway.

Custodio was arrested after the incident.

Meanwhile, in Mountain Province, a worker died after a truck fell into a ravine in Bauko town Thursday night.

Tamate Lapas died at the scene while truck driver Jeofrey Sapsap was brought to a hospital for treatment, said provincial police director Senior Superintendent Oliver Enmodias.

The two were on their way home when Sapsap lost control of the wheel, causing the truck to fall into a ravine in Barangay Monamon Sur at around 10 p.m. – Raymund Catindig, Artemio Dumlao