ONE passenger was killed while 14 others were injured in a road accident involving three vehicles in Baragay Mainit, Naga City, early on Friday morning.
The accident also caused heavy congestion along the National Highway that connects the cities of Naga and Toledo for almost two hours or until such time that the vehicles – a multicab passenger vehicle, a pick up and a cargo truck – were towed from the area.
SPO1 Renato Masangcay, Desk Officer of the Naga City Police Station, said a multicab driven by Rogelio Paran, 61, was traversing
the National Highway at around 7:35 a.m. when it tried to overtake a motorcycle.
Both the multicab and motorcycle came from Toledo City and were headed for the neighboring city of Naga while traveling on the highway’s right lane.
PO3 Nilo Dacles, Naga City traffic investigator, said that a speeding Paran, a resident of Barangay Uling in Naga City, went out of his lane as he tried to overtake the motorcycle that was traveling ahead of his multicab.
Dacles said Paran did not see the dump truck, driven by Elieser Tapsadan of Barangay Gindarohan, Minglanilla, that was on the highway’s left lane and collided with the truck.
The multicab also hit a Navarra pick up driven by Cherry Ann Alonzo, 39, that was traveling on the same lane with the dump truck before it finally came to a stop.
Dacles said the accident severely hurt Gilda Allera, a passenger on the multicab’s front seat. Allera died before she reached the South General Hospital (South Gen) in Naga City, he said.
Paran and his 13 other passengers sustained bruises on the body and were also brought to South Gen for treatment. All the injured passengers were still at the hospital as of 4 p.m. on Friday. They were identified as Joenard Plaeda, 28; Maria Theresa Bastatas, 33; Lucille Alepar, 22; Jonalyn Tiongson, 25; Judilyn Luguban, 26; Mary Chris Dacutan, 42; Christopher Arañas, 8; Abegail Batonghinog,32; Emil Vincent Ubas,23; Florante Baroy,34; Sayson Hysias,29; Delia Desman,56; and Angelo Niño 20.
Masangcay said Paran would remain under hospital arrest while they prepare a complaint for reckless imprudence resulting to homicide and multiple injuries against him.
He said the trucks and pick up driver may also file separate complaints against the multicab driver.