Relatives of Alegria accident victims arrive

RELATIVES of the three Filipino-American medical missionaries who survived the tragic accident in Alegria town last Saturday arrived in Cebu City early this week to be with the victims who are still at the intensive care unit (ICU) of a private hospital in Cebu City.

The Alegria Police said that as of Thursday morning, the survivors, spouses Fred and Nora Tsai, and Dr. Elenita Rubio, were still in critical condition.

“Some of the victims’ relatives have arrived last Monday, some last Tuesday. We’re still monitoring the victims,” said PO3 Leonard Francis Cabahug, member of the Alegria Police investigating team.

Relatives of six of the fatalities – Drs. Nunilo Rubio, Reynaldo and Diana Pascual, philanthropists Joseph and Juvela Huang, and US-registered nurse Aurora Gagni – have already claimed their bodies.

However, the body of Berniti Roxas is still under the care of a funeral parlor in Cebu City, while waiting for his relatives to process the documents needed to ship the body to Manila.

“We expect the body to be shipped to Manila maybe this Friday,” an employee of St. Peter’s Funeral Homes said.

The victims were on board a van driven by Gilbert dela Cruz, as they traveled from Oslob town to Badian. Dela Cruz said he fell asleep while driving and rammed the vehicle into a roadside mahogany tree in Alegria.

Dela Cruz survived the accident. He is now facing charges of reckless imprudence resulting to multiple homicide and serious physical injuries and was able to post bail.

Meanwhile, police investigators said that while the van was not accredited by the Department of Tourism – 7 (DOT-7) to use as a tourist transport vehicle, it was also not a colorum vehicle but was covered by a franchise under the Inner J Tourist Transport owned by Joseph Pangatungan.

Cabahug added that dela Cruz was able to present documents proving that he was driving a vehicle covered by a franchise issued by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).

“He presented the van’s certificate of registration and a copy of the franchise approved by the LTFRB,”stated Cabahug.
LTFRB has suspended the franchise for 30 days.