Two dead, 44 injured in 2 road accidents

ILOILO CITY, Philippines — A pregnant woman and a tricycle driver were killed while 44 others were wounded in two road accidents in Iloilo Province, happening about two hours apart.

The two incidents happened 4 p.m. on Tuesday in Barotac Viejo town, and around 5:30 p.m. at Cabatuan town.

The two victims who died were on the Barotac Viejo accident. May Valentin, 18, of Barangay San Juan in that town died on the spot after the tricycle she was riding got sideswept with Chevrolet Trailblazer SUV at Vista Alegre village.

Valentin was still brought to the Western Visayas Medical Center but attending physicians still failed to save her and the twins she was carrying in the womb.

Inspector Venancio Rendon, Barotac Viejo Police chief, said tricycle driver, 48-year-old Ben Bandajandong, of Barangay Nueva Invencion died an hour later while undergoing treatment.

Four others were injured in the accident, among them an infant, SUV driver 19-year-old Ralph John Asturias, who was with his mother and sister, and an elderly woman who is now in critical condition.

According to witnesses, Asturias was accelerating to overtake a motorcycle, but he failed to maneuver back to his lane and hit the incoming tricycle on the opposite lane. The impact shoved the tricycle to the roadside, with its motorcycle severed from the side car .

Rendon said the police yesterday filed a case of reckless imprudence resulting to multiple homicide against Asturias.

In the Cabatuan accident, 40 passengers of a jeepney were injured after it turned upside down while navigating a downhill portion along Barangay Pungtod. Thirty-three of the victims were students of the Cabatuan National Comprehensive High School.

Senior Inspector Engilbert Banquillo, Cabatuan Police chief, said the jeepney, plying the Cabatuan-Iloilo City route, was overloaded with more than 40 passengers. Some boarded on the jeepney’s stirrup while others were seated on top of the vehicle’s roof.

Banquillo said the driver, 30-year-old Glenn Millena of Barangay Acao, discovered that the jeepney’s tie rod end was cut off, rendering the steering wheel immovable. Millena apparently applied the brakes, in a bid to slow down the vehicle, but it tilted to its side instead and turned upside down.

Some passengers were able to jump off the vehicle while the rest were thrown off from their seats. All victims were rushed to the Ramon Tabiana Memorial District Hospital, just several meters from scene of the accident. —(FREEMAN)