Who is liable for the damage?

Police want to know where to pin the liability of the multiple vehicular accident in Argao town which killed three persons. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO/ ARGAO MDRRMO

ARGAO ACCIDENT

THE multi-vehicular accident in Argao last Sunday was apparently caused by the driver of the multicab van, who counterflowed and hit the back portion of a six-wheeler trailer truck, which veered toward the right to avoid a direct collision.

It was the multicab which sustained the most damage and whose passengers were killed.

‘”Actually, yong driver ng multicab ang liable. Ang problema kasi siya yong sumalubong sa trailer truck. then ‘yong mga kasunod, nagkabanga-banga na sila. Iyong problema ngayon kasi ‘yong driver patay na, hindi na natin masampahan ng kaso basta-basta,” Chief Insp. Cesar Misola, Argao Police Station chief, told Cebu Daily News. (Actually the driver of the multicab is liable because he met the trailer truck head on and the vehicles behind him crashed into each other. The problem now is that the driver is dead, so we cannot file a case against him.)

“We are currently seeking the legal opinion of a fiscal attorney, so we can determine who is liable now that the driver, who’s supposed to be accountable, is dead. For now, we haven’t heard any plans of the affected family to file a case. But as of now, we do not know who’s going to be liable yet,” he added.

The multicab was driven by 62-year-old Jose Aquillo Sillote. With him were his wife Vergilia, 61, grandchildren Vince Bryle Villaces, 4, Lenmark Sillote, 5, Reymark Villaces, 12 and Ayesha Sillote, 9 and their daughter Maricel Sillote, 29.

Jose, Virgilia and Vince Bryle were killed in the accident, the other family members sustained various wounds. They were in Oslob town for an outing and were on their way back to their home in Minglanilla when the mishap happened.

Based on the initial investigation of the police, the tire of the multicab suddenly burst, causing the driver to counterflow, crashing into an incoming six-wheeler truck driven by Leonel Judith Co, 31. PO2 Clifford Butron, Argao police chief investigator said a Toyota Wigo and a Kia Sorento, both bound for Cebu City, were trailing close behind the multicab, and did not have the chance to slow down when the collision happened.

Fortunately, Co and the drivers of the two vehicles were unharmed. Currently, Misola said they are collating data on the total damages.

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