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ZAMBOANGA CITY -- Three people, including a policeman, died while 20 others were injured in separate vehicular accidents in the province of Zamboanga del Norte and this city, police officials said Friday.
The fatalities were identified as Patrolman Johnwill Habi, Sherwina Anjan Salahon, and Imelda Bedia Owen, 73.
Two of the 18 injured people were identified as Patrolmen Jaycyl Patangan, and Romel Gamimba.
Habi and Salahon died in the first incident that occurred around 3:40 a.m. Thursday along the national highway in Barangay Paniran, Sibuco, Zamboanga del Norte.
Lt. Roy Malayo, 42, officer-in-charge of the Sibuco municipal police station, said they were traveling aboard a Toyota Hilux vehicle along the national highway when bumped by a truck from the opposite lane, resulting in the death of Habi and Salahon.
Malayo was driving at the time of the incident, while the truck with eight passengers on board, including Salahon, was driven by a certain Gigi Sua.
Malayo was unscathed in the incident.
He said Patangan and Gamimba, both members of the 2nd Zamboanga del Norte Mobile Force Company, were also injured in the accident.
Sua and seven of her passengers were rushed to the Labuan General Hospital here.
The Sibuco highway incident was followed by another road accident around 1:30 p.m. Friday along Maria Clara Lorenzo Lobregat Highway in Sitio Mialim, Barangay Vitali here, resulting in the death of the septuagenarian.
Col. Alexander Lorenzo, city police director, said Reno Oren, 40, lost control of the steering wheel of the pick-up truck he was driving and crashed into a roadside store. Oren had tried to avoid a vehicle that suddenly crossed the opposite lane while en route to Zamboanga Sibugay province from this city.
Owen, who was among the eight passengers on board, was rushed to the Vitali Lying-in Clinic but was declared dead on arrival by the attending physician.
Lorenzo said Oren and the other seven passengers were later transferred to the Zamboanga City Medical Center (ZCMC) for further treatment. (PNA)
