4 killed, 37 hurt in vehicular accident in Bataan

By Ronron
January 23, 2008

Four women died and 37 others were hurt after the jeepney they were riding collided with a trailer truck dawn of Wednesday in Bataan province, police said.

Officer-on-case PO2 Dennis Abad said the incident happened at around 4:30 am yesterday at the national highway in Barangay Roosevelt in Dinalupihan town.

Abad, an investigator from the Dinalupihan Police Station, said in a phone interview that the jeepney (plate number CXC-300), driven by Edward Bayan and with 40 passengers, was heading towards Botolan town in Zambales, while the trailer truck, owned by FedEx and driven by Danny Baba, was heading the opposite direction towards Metro Manila.

Abad said a passenger of the jeepney, Sonny Evangelista, told him that their vehicle was trying to overtake another vehicle ahead of them, but failed to get back to their lane and smashed instead at the approaching trailer truck.

Abad said four of Bayan’s passengers died while being treated at the Jose Payumo Memorial Hospital in Dinalupihan and at the James Gordon Memorial Hospital in Olongapo City.

Fourteen other passengers also continue to be confined at both hospitals due to the injuries they sustained. The rest of the passengers were no longer admitted because they only sustained minor injuries, Abad said.

Baba, on the other hand, and his lone companion were not hurt, said Abad. But they were brought to the police station pending determination whether or not they will be charged for the incident.

Abad, however, was quite certain, based on Evangelista’s account, that Bayan will be charged for reckless imprudence resulting in multiple homicide and multiple serious physical injuries with damage to properties.

“Based on the initial investigation, as per the account of the passenger of the jeepney, it was them who overtook and then hit the FedEx truck,” Abad said.

Bayan remains confined at the hospital, said Abad.

Abad disclosed also that the privately-hired jeepney was overloaded because it only has a capacity of 26 passengers at the most.

Abad said the jeepney passengers were supposed to join a fiesta celebration in Botolan had the incident not happened./DMS