EIGHT were killed, including seven police officers, and about 29 were hurt, four of them are civilians, in a highway mishap involving a 10-wheeled Wing Van and two Hi-Ace vans at about 9:25 am, last Saturday along the national highway in Purok 11 Barangay Poblacion, Naawan, Misamis Oriental.
Police Major Joann Navarro, spokesperson of the Police Regional Office-10 confirmed last Sunday afternoon in a phone call.
The two Hi-Ace vans were loaded with police personnel who were on a privilege pass given to them from Regional Training Center (RTC-10) to visit or remit allowances to their respective families in Lanao del Norte and in Ozamis City.
The police officers were all under schooling at the said training center in Patag, Cagayan de Oro, she added.
For his part, Police Brig. Gen. Lawrence B. Coop, PRO-10 director expressed sympathies to the families of the fatalities.
“Ang kapulisan ng PRO-10 ay nakikiisa at nakikiramay sa naiwang pamilya ng ating nasawing mga kasamahan sa aksidente na nangyari,” Coop said in a statement.
He promised that the regional leadership will provide appropriate benefits and immediate assistance to the families.
The two Hi Ace Van were traveling from Cagayan de Oro City to Iligan City while the said Wing Van was traveling in an opposite direction heading towards Cagayan de Oro City, said Navarro.
Upon reaching the place of the accident, the front wheel of the said Wing Van exploded which resulted in a head-on collision, she added.
The police officers were identified as the following Police Staff Seargent Michael C. Ermac, PSSg Aaron P. Ticar, including Anito Abapo (Ret. PSSg) the driver of one of the Hi-Ace Van, PSSg Reuyan Marjun, PSSg Jevilou Cañeda, PSSg Eugene A. Lagcao, PSSg Arnill M. Manoop, and Police Senior Master Seargent Eric Generalao.
The injured, who are still confined at Northern Mindanao Medical Center in Cagayan De Oro City as of February 12, were PSSg Kevin Ramos, PSSg Mark Gil Macasero (stable), PSSg Jomar Maramara, PSSg Acher Roy Fuentes transferred from NMMC to Polymedic Hospital, PSSg Joel Zamora also transferred from NMMC to Polymedic, PSSg Maute Mohammad, PSSg Marvin Velasquez, PSSg Peter Paul Llamera, PSSg Jason Pormento, and PSSg Jericho Turtugo were confined in Iligan hospitals.
Minor injuries were treated at the hospitals in Oroquita City, Calamba, and Ozamis City, respectively as outpatients were the following PSSg Delia Camelo Cabralles, PSSg Ariel Malinis Diez, PSSg Florante Escobar Salian, and PSSg Mart Vincent de la Cerna Aljas.
Other injured police officers, who had already been discharged from their respective hospitals, were a certain Jamarodin Baganday (NMMC), PSSg Jhon Dominguez (Iligan hospital), PSSg Ricky Hista (Iligan), PSSg Kirby Markinez (Iligan), PSSg Jovanie Adorable (Iligan), PSSg Barry Harry Ocaya (NMMC), PSSG Edwin Calavio (NMMC), PSSg Jovel Lumacad (NMMC), PSSg Lloyd B. Tumangob (Iligan), and PSSg Rolando Cagaanan (NMMC).
The civilians who were also injured in the accident were identified as Fairodin Omar Robio, a Wing van helper still confined in Iligan hospital and a certain Benjamin Abubacar Modapil (NMMC), and Raul Ampoyo Maghuyop (driver) of another Hi Ace Van was transferred from Iligan to NMMC.
