One of the injured passengers of the truck that was loaded with fruits and vegetables intended for Carbon Market is taken to the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) by an ambulance for treatment of severe injuries.
(CDN PHOTO/CHRISTIAN MANINGO)
The death toll in the truck accident in Argao town, Cebu rose to six after two female passengers died while being treated at the province-owned hospital in Cebu City.
Margarita Geyrozaga, 45, died at 11:46 a.m. on Wednesday while Cirila Pantinople, 60, succumed to her injuries past 6 p.m. on Wednesday.
The two women were among the 11 victims who were brought to Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) in Cebu City for treatment following the accident on Tuesday.
Their deaths were confirmed on Wednesday night by public school teacher Evelyn Pantinople, who is a niece of Cirila.
The four other fatalities were Jelyn Pescadero, 29 who was pregnant, her son Jaymar, 8; and nephew Joven Neri Jr. and Anastacia Geverola, 65.
The victims were on board a Canter truck loaded with vegetables headed for Carbon Public Market, the city’s biggest public market, when it lost its brakes and hit a coconut tree before falling on its side in Barangay Gutlang, Argao town, on Tuesday.
Evelyn, who is teaching at Umapad Elementary School in Mandaue City, criticized how the medical staff of the hospital attended the victims at the ER section.
While she stayed at the ER, she could not help but be dismayed by how the nurses responded to their requests for assistance.
Evelyn said she was there when Geyrozaga died past 11 a.m., and was told by Geyrozaga’s relatives on how they were treated.
She said the medical staff attended to Geyrozaga when her condition worsened.
While attending to her aunt Cirila, Evelyn said, she noticed that Cirila was having difficulty in breathing. But when she told the nurses, she had to wait for minutes before getting a response.
It was only when Argao Mayor Stanley Caminero arrived at the hospital past 3 p.m. when the medical staff attended to the patients.
When the mayor left, she added, the medical staff left also.
In the meantime, PO2 Howard Maynopas of the Argao police station said, they were preparing charges against the truck driver Edgar Pescadero, who was still detained.
While they had yet to coordinate with the victims’ families, Maynopas said Pescadero would be facing reckless imprudence resulting to multiple homicide, multiple serious physical injuries with damage to properties.
Maynopas said they were still investigating on the cause of accident although initial reports showed that it was caused by faulty brakes.
He said the truck was overloaded with cargoes and farmers.