A driver and his two passengers were killed while 11 others were hurt early Wednesday morning when the multicab they were riding was hit by a Mitsubishi truck on JP Rizal Street in Barangay Basak, Mandaue City.
The fatalities were identified as multicab driver Marvin Gutierrez and passengers Jerson Bastatas, 58, and Diskler Laboris of Barangay Mabolo in Cebu City.
Truck driver Michael Ruelo was detained at the Mandaue police station 3 in Barangay Basak, pending filing of charges of reckless imprudence resulting to multiple homicide and multiple injuries.
PO1 Jerry Pabadora, Mandaue traffic investigator, said the complaints will be filed at the prosecutor’s office once the results of the liquor test conducted on Ruelo are released.
Initial investigation by the Mandaue City Police Office-Traffic Management Unit showed that the Mitsubishi truck was heading to Consolacion town when it suddenly occupied the other lane, hitting a taxi unit before colliding with a multicab, a public utility vehicle loaded with 14 people.
Pabadora said the taxi sustained minor damage in the bumper because the driver, Jessie Tubilan, noticed the truck heading in his direction and swerved to the right to avoid it.
Despite this, the truck still hit the taxi’s bumper before ramming into the multicab, which was behind the taxi.
Pabadora said Ruelo claimed he shifted lanes because he was trying to avoid colliding with another vehicle that cut into his lane.
But Tubilan belied Ruelo’s claim, saying the road was empty at that time since it was still 4 a.m.
Labores died on the spot while Gutierrez and Bastatas succumbed to injuries at the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center in Cebu City.
The 11 other passengers of the multicab suffered minor injuries and were brought to different hospitals for treatment./with Intern Rey Anthony Anacleto