1 dead, 16 hurt as van rolls over in Zamboanga

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines - A public school teacher died while 16 others were injured when a passenger van rolled over several times Wednesday dawn along a coast highway west of Zamboanga City, police said.

Police Chief Inspector Hingming Ladjaali, Police Station 8 chief, identified the lone fatality as Sofia Dimawala, 59, teacher of Ayala Elementary.

Ladjaali said the van with plate number ABL 8143 came from the city proper and was bound for Barangay Ayala when it crashed about 5 a.m. at Sitio Caragasan, Barangay Maasin.

Police investigation disclosed that the driver, identified as Basher Salahiron, was speeding up to overtake another vehicle but lost control. 

Ladjaali said the passengers and the driver were immediately rushed to the hospital. Dimawala however was declared dead upon arrival by the attending physician.

Salahiron was subsequently brought and detained at the Police Station 8 while charges are being prepared against him.