1 dead, 7 injured in late night SRP tunnel accident

This is the accident scene at the southbound lane of the SRP tunnel. One died while seven were injured when a SUV rammed into parked motorcycles with riders who were taking shelter from the heavy rain late Thursday night, December 10, 2020. | contributed photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines—A woman died while seven other individuals, including a police officer, suffered injuries in an accident involving a four-wheeled vehicle and motorcycles in the tunnel of South Road Properties (SRP) late Thursday evening, December 10, 2020. 

Reports from Waterfront Police Station (Cebu City Police Station 3) showed that a sports utility vehicle (SUV) rammed onto six motorcycles that were in the southbound lane of the tunnel, taking shelter from the heavy rain at around 11 p.m. on Thursday. 

Stephanie Hetutua, 26, a resident of Minglanilla town in Cebu, and a passenger of one of the motorcycles that got hit, died on the spot, police said. 

The five people who sustained injuries due to the incident were identified as Police Captain Angelito Valleser, 44; Klent Christian Mansueto, 26; Jill Pacaña, 44; Jessie Abay, 33; Armando Gonzaga, 50; Joaquin Cutamora, 35; and Ronel Melecio. 

Mansueto, Cutamora, Melecio, and Valleser were rushed to the hospital for further treatment. 

The SUV involved was identified as a Toyota Land Cruiser and was driven by Tareq Leleng Farhat, 19, who resides in Junquera Street, Cebu City. 

Initial investigations showed that Farhat was driving along the tunnel when he saw three motorcycles parking ahead. He told investigators that he stepped on his vehicle’s brake upon seeing the parked motorcycles but lost control due to slippery road. 

Farhat is now under the custody of the police. 

/bmjo