Deadly Pinamungajan road crash toll rises to 3

A vehicular accident in Sitio Bulubgan, Brgy. Tajao in Pinamungajan, Cebu on Saturday, October 12, resulted in the death of an aeronautics student and two other persons. | Paul Lauro

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The deadly road crash in Pinamungajan town, southwestern Cebu involving a group of young college students has claimed another life on Monday, October 14.

Police Staff Sergeant Ryan Mangilimotan of the Pinamungajan Police Station confirmed on Monday, October 14, that one of the passengers, Jade Roca Engle, 22, from Tacloban City, had succumbed to his wounds in the hospital.

What happened?

Engle, along with three more college students, were having a road trip on Saturday, October 12.

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The group was heading to Aloguinsan town when the hatchback they were riding crashed into an incoming prime mover, ending their trip fatally.

The tragedy immediately killed the driver, aeronautics student Jan Raydel Booc, 20, and one of his companions, Stephen Sabornino, 18.

The two others, Engle and Rev Luther Alolo, 19, were rushed to the hospital.

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On Monday morning, Mangilimotan said Engle passed away while Alolo remained in critical condition due to the severe injuries they sustained.

Police investigations showed that the group had been speeding down the highway on their way to Aloguinsan from Toledo City, where they spent the night in a drinking establishment.

The car, however, encroached on the opposite lane and then collided onto the incoming an approaching prime mover past 3 a.m. on Saturday, police added.

Reports also indicated that shortly before the tragedy, Booc’s hatchback hit the tent of a roadside wake.

The driver of the prime mover, identified as Diomar Bugna, told police investigators that he already saw the swerving hatchback from afar.

When he saw the vehicle head at his direction, he immediately stepped on his brakes hoping to reduce the impact or avoid a possible collision.

In fact, one of his truck’s wheels exploded.

Still, he was unable to avoid the hatchback, which hit the driver’s side of his prime mover.

Despite this, a complaint for reckless imprudence resulting in homicide and damage to property will likely be filed against Bugna.

And while he insists on his innocence, Bugna said he wanted to apologize to the families of the four college students.

The police, for its part, will continue to investigate the accident to especially determine what caused the collision, Baroman said.

Pinamungajan is a second-class municipality located approximately 54 kilometers southwest of Cebu City. / with reports from Emmariel Ares