6 dead, 33 injured in 3 road accidents

MANILA, Philippines — Six people died and 33 others were injured when their vehicles figured in road crashes in Cagayan de Oro City and Bontoc, Mountain Province on Sunday and in Infanta, Quezon yesterday.

Four of the fatalities were from the Cagayan accident. The other two accidents had one fatality each.

Most of the injured, or 27 people, were passengers in a tourist bus that was on its way to a Sangguniang Kabataan youth leadership summit in Infanta.

Investigators said the summit was organized by the SK council of Barangay Bagong Silangan in Quezon City.

The four people who died were in a sport utility vehicle on their way to a mountain resort in Barangay Mambuaya on Sunday, according to Cagayan de Oro traffic investigator Cpl. Frederick Bon Cajuelan.

He identified the fatalities as Jaime Galarpe and wife Elvie, Arlene Gamayot and Rachel Botanas.

The driver, William Jabien, had his seatbelt on and is the only survivor, Cajuelan said.

Witnesses told investigators that they saw the vehicle swerving several times before plunging into a ravine in Sitio Monigue.

In Infanta, town police chief Maj. Fernando Credo said the bus had 48 passengers. One died and 27 were injured.

Rescuers rushed the victims to Claro M. Recto District Hospital.

The remaining 21 passengers either had very minor injuries or were unharmed, Credo said.

Investigators found that the bus had overshot a curve and fell on its side along the Marilaque Highway in Barangay Magsaysay.

Credo said driver Wilfredo Dinampo is in police custody and would face charges of reckless imprudence resulting in homicide, multiple serious physical injuries and damage to property.

Infanta Mayor Lord Arnel Ruanto said he has coordinated with Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte to facilitate the transfer of the injured passengers from the town’s hospital to other medical facilities for further treatment.

In Bontoc, police said driver Cherylina Dalilis was unconscious when rushed to the Bontoc Municipal Health Office, where she was declared dead due to traumatic head injury.

Her five passengers – Eunice, Eunark and Cleijter, all surnamed Andaya, as well as Destiny Dalilis and Ken Shane Kewan – were rushed to the Bontoc General Hospital for treatment. They were later transferred to a medical facility in La Trinidad, Benguet.

Investigators have yet to establish why the vehicle plunged 20 meters into a ravine before landing on a rice field. — Michelle Zoleta, Artemio Dumlao