Road mishap kills 2 in Dumanjug

Two were confirmed dead after getting run over by a truck in Barangay Camboan, Dumanjug, Cebu, on Tuesday afternoon, June 30, 2020. | Photo from Dumanjug Public Information Office

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Two men were killed after getting run over by a truck while changing the tire of their own truck along the national highway in barangay Camboang, Dumanjug town, southwestern Cebu at around 2:45 p.m. on Tuesday, June 30, 2020.

Police Major Ardioleto Cabagnot, chief of Dumanjug Police Station, said they are preparing charges of reckless imprudence resulting to double homicide against Maurin Oliver, the driver of the Isuzu truck that ran over the victims identified as Rogelio Gepatalagan, 59, and Gino Bandico Palma, 45.

Oliver, 25, is from Barangay Tutay in the neighboring Pinamungahan town while Gepatalagan and Palma are both from Toledo City, western Cebu.

Miraculously, a truck helper of the victims, whom police have yet to identify, managed to escape death.

Initial investigation revealed that the truck driven by Oliver was heading north while the Isuzu dump truck driven by Gepatalagan was parked along the highway facing south as Palma was repairing the flat outer wheel at the left side of the truck.

Cabagnot said that while Oliver was driving the truck along the two-lane highway, another vehicle–a multicab–heading south veered a bit to the center of the highway to avoid the parked truck. This allegedly frightened Oliver, who said he thought the vehicle would collide with his truck.

Oliver told Cabagnot that it was at this point that the he let go of the steering wheel to cover his eyes. This, in turn, led the truck to swerve to the left side, straight into where Gepatalgan and Palma were.

The truck helper survived as he lay flat on the road when the track passed right over him. He was lucky as he lay right in the middle of the rampaging truck, free from its tire tracks.

When later brought to the police station, it was found out that Oliver only had student’s license.

As of this time, Cabagnot said that they are waiting for the owner of the truck driven by Oliver and the families of the victims to talk about how the case will proceed. /bmjo