5 killed, 35 injured in North Cotabato vehicular accident

By Ronron
April 10, 2007

Five persons, including two minors, died and 35 others were wounded after a vehicle they were riding crashed on Tuesday noon in North Cotabato province, police said.

Insp. Elias Colonia, chief of police of Matalam town, North Cotabato, told Manila Shiimbun in a phone interview that the victims were supposed to attend a wake of a relative when the misfortune struck them at around 12:30 pm yesterday (Tuesday).

Colonia said the victims were riding an Isuzu Elf cargo truck towards Barangay Tampid in Matalam when the vehicle’s brake malfunctioned while going downhill along the national highway in Purok Balabay, Barangay New Alimodian, same town.

Survivors of the accident told police that when the truck driver, Ronnie Cagud, lost control over the vehicle, he decided to bump it against a canal at the side of the road.

As a result, the truck (plate number TKN-223) turned turtle until about a meter away from the side of the road.

Almost all of its passengers, who were at the back of the truck, were then thrown towards the farther side of the road, which Colonia describe as filled with bamboo plants.

He said the five fatalities were pinned under the truck. They include two 45-year-old women, a 70-year-old man, and two two-year-old children.

Five of the 35 injured victims are also fighting for their lives as they are regarded to be in critical condition. They were brought to the Davao Medical Center.

The 30 other wounded victims, including possibly Cagud, meanwhile, are being treated at the Amas Provincial Hospital in Amas, Kidapawan City, same province.

Colonia said the victims, who belong to the same clan, are all residents of Sitio Alimodian, Barangay Banayal, in Tulunan town, same province. They came from there prior to the accident and were heading for Sitio Imelda in Barangay Tampid to attend the wake of a relative who passed away earlier.

Colonia said Cagud could face charges of reckless imprudence resulting to multiple homicide and multiple serious physical injuries./DMS