A van is badly damaged in an accident in Barili town, Cebu on Wednesday, July 26, 2023. | Contributed Photo
(UPDATED) CEBU CITY, Philippines – An accident on the road in Barili town, southwestern Cebu claimed the lives of a minor and a senior citizen on the day the town was celebrating its fiesta on Wednesday, July 26, 2023.
Police in Barili confirmed that it involved a commuter van, and it occurred along the national highway in Barangay Guibuangan around 8:30 a.m.
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The victims were identified as Irish Omagac, 14, and Lilibeth Hivera Devaras, 58.
Six of the seven passengers of the commuter van also sustained injuries and were rushed to a nearby hospital. They are Nevelle Anaba Devaras, 66; Antonio Edson Natividad Enriquez, 26; Princess Dawn Sombreo Espina, 27; Kurt Josh Gevere Mangasi, 28; Kathlyn Genevere Mangasi, 28; and Kurtly Herera Mangasi, 30.
Cause of Barili accident
Initial reports from the Barili Police Station showed that the van, driven by a certain Francis Cortez Pagatpat, was traversing the southbound lane of the highway in Barangay Guibuangan.
The speeding van counter flowed in an attempt to overtake the other vehicles before it. However, it suddenly lost control and as a result, hit Omagac, who was walking at the roadside.
The impact sent Omagac flying a few meters away from where she was walking. The 14-year-old girl died on the spot.
After losing control, the van swerved and then crashed into a nearby caimito tree, which fell on the vehicle, also due to the impact.
One of its passengers, Hivera Devaras, died on the spot after sustaining severe injuries due to the crash.
The driver, Pagatpat, and the rest of the passengers were also pinned inside the van, police said. It took rescue personnel a few minutes to extract them safely from the vehicle.
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Police Lt. Col. Gerard Ace Pelare, spokesperson of the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7), said the driver is currently under the custody of the Barili Police Station.
Investigators also continue to conduct further investigations, including verifying reports that the passengers of the ill-fated van were bound for Barili to attend the town’s fiesta, Pelare added.
Barili is a second-class municipality located approximately 55 kilometers southwest of Cebu City. Its patron saint is St. Anne, whose feast is on July 26.
/bmjo
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