Two more die in Argao accident

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 Argao truck accident rose to 6 with the death of two more women who were among the 11 victims brought to the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) in Cebu City after the accident on Tuesday.

Margarita Geyrozaga, 45, died at 11:46 a.m. on Wednesday while Cirila Pantinople, 60, died at past 6 p.m. last Wednesday night at the emergency room of VSMMC.

Their deaths were confirmed last night by public school teacher Evelyn Pantinople, a niece of Cirila.

Evelyn said the two women sustained severe injuries. She said she learned that her aunt, Cirila, sustained broken ribs.

The four other fatalities were Jelyn Pescadero, 29, (pregnant), her son Jaymar, 8; nephew Joven Neri Jr. and Anastacia Geverola, 65.

Two more victims are currently treated at the Isidro C. Kintanar Memorial Hospital in Argao.

Slow response

Evelyn, who teaches at the Umapad Elementary School in Mandaue City, criticized the treatment they received from the medical staff of the emergency room of VSMMC.

Upon learning of the accident, she immediately went to the VSMMC to attend to her relatives.

Evelyn said she was there when Geyrozaga died at past 11 a.m., and she was told by Geyrozaga’s relatives on how they were treated.

“Diha gyod ko sa iyang pagkabugto. Sigon sa mga estorya sa mga nagbantay niya, duolon lang kon lisod na, murag lax ra sila gani (I was their when she died. According to those who attended to her, the medical staff would just attend to her if she was experiencing difficulty. They were very lax),” she said.

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 several minutes before getting a response.

“Kon naay moduol nila nga mangayo og tabang nga among pasyente naglisod og ginhawa, duolon unta gani dayon. Motando man sila pero you need to wait for a couple of minutes or worst pa gyod, kinahanglan nga mobalik ka aron i-follow up ngadto (If somebody would ask help for our patients who were having difficulty breathing, they should come immediately. Instead, they would just nod. You had to go back to them to follow-up),” she said in an interview.

But when Argao Mayor Stanley Caminero, who is also a doctor, arrived at the hospital at 3 p.m. yesterday, Evelyn said many medical staff immediately attended to the patients. But when the mayor left, the medical staff also left.

Evelyn showed photos of the medical staff attending to the patient with Mayor Caminero observing them, but when Caminero left the hospital, the staff asked the children of Cirila to take over the pumping of the bag valve mask used to assist the patient to breath.

“Sa diha si Dr. Stanley, daghan ang niduol, naay nurses and doctor, pero paglakaw, lakaw pod sila. Mao na nga naninguha ang anak og pump kay gisugo pod sa nurse kay nibalibad man ko kay basin dili mamao pag-pump (When Dr. Stanley was there, many nurses and doctors came but when he left, they also left, that is why the children of the victim pumped the bag because they were ordered by the nurse, because I refused because I was afraid I would not be able to do it well),” Evelyn said.

Evelyn said if the hospital could not attend to the needs of the patients, they should have advised them to transfer the patients to another hospital.

Charges

P02 Howard Maynopas of the Argao Police Station said they are preparing charges against the truck driver Edgar Pescadero, who is still under detention.

Although they are still coordinating with the families, Maynopas said, Pescadero could face reckless imprudence resulting to multiple homicide, multiple serious physical injuries with damage to properties if the families decide to pursue charges.

Maynopas said they are still investigating on the cause of accident, but it was mainly due to brake malfunction.

He said the truck was overloaded with cargoes and the farmers, but if the overloading had caused the brake malfunction, the police could not conclude yet.

Meanwhile Ahmed Cuison, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB-7) Regional Director, said the owner of the truck did not violate any guidelines under the LTFRB.

He said LTFRB has no jurisdiction over the accident involving the truck which resulted in the death of six people and the injury of 10 others.

“The truck was owned by the driver’s brother and used for loading their own produce from the mountains. If you have a business and the vehicle serves the functions of your own business, then there is no need for a franchise,” Cuizon told Cebu Daily News.

But if he had the vehicle rented to serve another person’s business, then that’s the time there is a need for a franchise because the vehicle becomes “for hire.”

Assistance

Argao Mayor Stanley Caminero said that the local government is ready to extend assistance to the affected family and victims.

“Most of the victims are senior citizens and have their PhilHealth cards too. If they need help, we can also verify what kind of assistance they need,” Caminero told Cebu
Daily News.