A trailer truck loaded with cement falls on its side on Wednesday, blocking both lanes of the South Coastal Road and creating a monstrous traffic jam that stretched all the way to Cebu City in the north and Talisay City in the south. It took more than 15 hours for traffic and disaster personnel to completely clear the SRP viaduct of the mess.
CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA
A truck carrying tons of cement fell on its side past midnight of Wednesday, blocking both sides of the South Coastal Road and causing a 15-hour traffic gridlock that stretched all the way to Cebu City in the north and Talisay City in the south.
Cebu City Transportation Office (CCTO) operations chief Francisco Ouano said that the accident also affected Cebu City’s downtown areas.
“For 15 hours and 45 minutes grabe ang namugna nga trapiko. Nikatay-katay siya,” Ouano said. (For 15 hours and 45 minutes the traffic was so heavy and even affected Cebu City’s downtown areas.)
What happened?
Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (CCDRRMO) head Nagiel Bañacia said that two trailer trucks were racing against each other past 12 midnight on Wednesday at the SRP viaduct.
“Duha ni sila ka trailer trucks nga naglumbaanay gikan sa Talisay City paingon diri sa Cebu City. Sa Talisay three lanes siya pag abot dinhi sa viaduct duha ka lanes na lang so nag-ilog ni sila. Kaning truck nga naay semento nitungtung sa gutter maong na outbalanced ug natulimbang ug nangayabo ang mga semento,” said Bañacia.
(Two trucks were racing from Talisay going to Cebu City. In Talisay there are three lanes but when they reached Cebu City’s side there are only two lanes so they were jockeying for position. The truck carrying cement breached the gutter and tripped.)
Bañacia said that based on skid marks, both trucks were running fast. He added that the skid marks reached 50 meters before the trailer truck overturned.
It was only around 3:45 p.m. that the CCTO, the Department of Public Services (DPS), and the Quick Response Team were able to remove the trailer truck and all the cement from the viaduct.
The CCTO identified the driver as Raymund Sobremisana of AYL Truck Services who is now under custody.
Legal action
Bañacia said that he will ask the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to suspend the franchise of AYL Truck Services because of what happened.
“Ang damage sa maong accident is no longer dinhi ra sa coastal road but the entire city ang traffic nga iyang gihimo. Imagine pila ka opportunities ang na lost and pila ang nangalate gumikan sa insidente,”Bañacia said.
(The damage it created is no longer limited to the coastal road but to the entire city. Imagine how many opportunities were lost and employees who were late for work).
Bañacia said that AYL Services did not even help them remove the trailer truck and clear the cement when they asked for help.
“Nanawag ta nila and they said they will send help. But until now, it’s already 10 sa buntag walay nahitabo sa ilang commitment. Iresponsable ning AYL,” said Bañacia.
Bañacia said he will ask the City Legal Office to study legal options against AYL Services.