Emergency responders tend to the injured and dead in the accident in Alcantara town in southwestern Cebu at past 6 a.m. today, June 6. | Contributed photo via Paul Lauro
CEBU CITY, Philippines — A family beach outing ended in tragedy when the van they were riding on collided with a motorcycle causing the death of a 14-year-girl and injury to 10 others in the early morning of June 6 in Alcantara town in southwestern Cebu.
The girl, who died, was seated behind the driver, said Police Executive Master Sergeant Geraldine Veriarmente, Alcantara Police Station desk officer, in a phone interview on June 6.
Veriarmente said that the impact of the collision threw the girl out of the van, passing through the van’s window and landing on the concrete road.
She said that this left the girl with severe head injuries leading to her death.
Three minors, whose ages range from 1 to 7 were also among the 11 persons injured in the accident that happened along the national highway of Barangay Palanas.
Investigation showed that a family and their relatives— 10 in all including the driver — were on a beach outing heading for a resort in Moalboal town in southern Cebu from Cebu City.
At past 6 a.m. as they were cruising along the national highway in Barangay Palanas, the driver of the Nissan Urvan, Donald Mañeja, suddenly lost control of the vehicle when he tried to avoid crashing into the back of a trisikad.
Veriarmente said the van swerved to the opposite lane colliding with an oncoming motorcycle rider, then swerved back to his lane crashing into the steel railing and then falling on its side.
Aside from the girl, who died, Mañejo and eight others in the van were also injured.
The motorcycle rider, Niño Lorenz, 20, was heading home from Barangay Poblacion of Alcantara town to Barangay Palanas when he collided with the van.
Lorenz suffered broken arms and legs due to the accident.
The van driver, Mañejo, had a broken shoulder.
The dead girl and the 10 injured were brought to the Badian District Hospital for treatment.
Veriarmente said that the mother of the dead girl told them (police) that she would not press charges against Mañejo because he is a relative.
However, Veriarmente said that they were waiting for the relatives of the injured motorcycle rider to decide on what action they would take whether to settle things amicably or to file charges against Mañejo.
/dbs
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