Armored vehicle vs van: 6 dead, 10 hurt

By NITZ ARANCON
Correspondent

A SPEEDING military armored vehicle collided head-on with a van, killing    six people and badly hurting 10 others on the highway in Purok 15,  Poblacion, Manticao town in Misamis Oriental on Monday evening.

Camp Alagar spokesman Supt. Lemuel Gonda identified five of those killed as van owner and driver Hadji Amin Bangcola, Hadji Latiff Macaumbos, Rey Dacao Mancao, Siete Guimba, and Jocelyn Oclarit Baldoz. All were from Pantao Ragat in Lanao del Norte.

A sixth victim, a female between 30 and 35 years old, remained unidentified at presstime.

Gonda identified the injured as Renzo Von Pagayon, Rama Tangote, Norhaya Ampaan, Hadji Aspiya Lanto, Reham Dom Lanto;

Dimpinto Norjama, Nobalsa Domapo, Raima Tangoti, Samsodin Domapo, and nine-year old Abdul Ratiph Lanto.

They were rushed to the Manticao provincial hospital where they were given initial medical treatment. They were subsequently transferred to various hospitals in the city.

Initial investigation showed that the Simba armored vehicle, with plates A6032, was driven by S/Sgt. Danny Tenezo.

The armored vehicle, traced to Tumawan, Zamboanga Sibugay, came from Iligan City with three military trucks, and was headed to the Laguindingan airport to fetch military supplies  from Camp Aguinaldo.

Gonda said S/Sgt. Tenezo was tailing behind another military vehicle that moved past a trailer truck. As Tenezo followed and attempted to overtake the trailer truck, the armored vehicle collided head-on with an oncoming Toyota Hi Ace van at around 8:30 pm.

Police said the group in the van had just come from the Polymedic Medical Plaza in Kauswagan, this city, where they visited relatives who were being treated there.

The Manticao police said the soldiers in the armored vehicle were unscathed.

Gonda said police have continued the investigation, and may likely file a complaint against Tenezo for  reckless imprudence resulting in multiple  homicide and  damage to property, among others.