TAGAYTAY CITY -- Seven people died while several others were injured in two separate road accidents involving a 10-wheeler truck in Taal, Batangas and a passenger jeepney in Tagaytay City on Holy Wednesday.
In Taal, Batangas, less than 30 kms from this city, seven people were reported dead after an unattended 10-wheeler truck loaded with sugarcane smashed into a “carinderia” (eatery) along the Diversion Road in the town’s Barangay Carasuche around 9:25 a.m. on Wednesday.
According to the Batangas Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) and Taal chief of police Senior Insp. Ricaredo Dalisay, the truck has no driver when it moved and rammed into the roadside eatery where several people were eating breakfast at that time.
Due to the slope terrain, the truck’s momentum also hit six other parked cars as it descended and crashed into the carinderia.
The victims were retrieved by rescuers under piles of sugarcane that spilled from the truck while scores were also injured in the accident.
Police identified the fatalities as Melencio Atienza, 39; Jennifer Atienza, 37; Cheliver Aniniol, 32; and Babylyn Atienza, 29, all from Barangay Carasuche, Taal; Susan Hombre, 57 of Barangay Buli, Taal; Ricardo Tabogon, 44 of Barangay Sto. Cristo, San Jose, Batangas; and Ramir Agudo, 34, of Barangay Sta. Rita, Batangas City.
The injured were identified as Orly Capuso, 35; Diana Uy, 16; Danilo Madiklum, 59; and Bayani Munoz Torres, 49, all from the province of Batangas.
Meanwhile, 10 passengers were also injured when a bus smashed into a passenger jeepney as they were alighting along the road in Aguinaldo Highway, Barangay Niogan in this city.
According to Supt. Elmer J. Decena, Tagaytay City chief of police, the road accident occurred 10 a.m. on Wednesday.
Decena said initial investigation disclosed that the jeepney and the bus were traveling from Nasugbu, Batangas heading towards Tagaytay City proper when the jeepney which was ahead of the bus suddenly stopped to unload passengers.
This caused the bus to bump the jeepney from behind, injuring the 10 passengers who were rushed to the Ospital ng Tagaytay and Tagaytay Medical Center for treatment.
Police took custody of the driver, identified as Teodoro Selvallana Merjan, 44 of San Vicente, San Pedro City, Laguna and the DLTB bus driver Louie Colona Manalo, 36 of Ople, Alfonso, Cavite.
The law enforcers also temporarily impounded both vehicles at city police station compound here. (PNA)
