One dead, 13 injured in bridge collision

CEBU, Philippines - A man died while 13 others were injured when a sports utility vehicle hit two motorcycles while crossing a bridge in Barangay Tapon, Dumanjug town at around 6 p.m. last Sunday.

Senior Police Officer 3 Florencio Clarion of the Dumanjug Police said the SUV was crossing the Tapon-Tangil bridge when the driver, Rudolfo Cabante, 60, noticed a group of people walking there.

In an attempt to avoid hitting the group, Cabante maneuvered the SUV to the other lane only to hit the motorcycles driven by Amancio Tupas Jr. and John Michael Tejas. The impact was so strong that Tupas, his motorcycle, and the SUV, which was carrying 11 passengers, were thrown off the bridge.

Tupas, a resident of Barili, did not make it alive at the District Hospital in the neighboring town of Barili.

Cabante and the passengers sustained injuries and had to be confined at the hospital. The passengers were Rusziel Ponce Cabante, 20; Senior Police Officer 2 Gretel Ponce Cabante, 30; Carmencita Ponce Cabante, 58; Rudytha Ponce Cabante, 18; Rudgine Ponce Cabante, 23; Marnel Abregana Cabante, 31, and five minors. They attended a feast in Ginatilan town and were on their way to Cebu City.

Tejas, meanwhile, injured his leg and had to be brought to a hospital in Cebu City.

Clarion said the SUV passengers were lucky that the tide was high at that time otherwise they would have sustained more injuries had the water been shallow. Two fishermen helped rescue them.

As of yesterday, no charges were filed in relation to the incident.  (FREEMAN)