2 crushed to death, 23 hurt in accident

By NITZ ARANCON
and JOEY NACALABAN
Correspondents

TWO men were crushed to death and 23 others were injured when an overloaded public jeepney overturned as it plunged into a ravine in an outlying village in the city on Monday afternoon.

Police said the jeepney only had a sitting capacity of 25 passengers but at the time of the accident, it had 57.

Police identified the dead as Danilo Dablio, 43, of Barangay Tuburan, and Mario Pimentel, 80, of Barangay Pigsag-an, this city.

Dablio and Pimentel were declared dead on arrival at the JR Borja Memorial General Hospital.

Dablio was a councilor of Barangay Tignapoloan while Pimentel had been a former councilor of Pigsag-an.

“Nangaligpitan ning duha ka nangamatay pagkatumba sa jeep. Dugay sila nakuha kay bug-at kaayo ang maong jeep,” said SPO2 Danny Berto.

Investigators said the jeepney was headed to the Barangay Taglimao proper when its driver lost control of the vehicle at around 3:30 pm.

Senior Insp. Bernard Colegio, chief of the Lumbia police, said 23 people were hurt in the accident. They were identified as Delia Castilo, Emie Argangay, Pilar Dasdas, Erlinda Abonitalla, Marciana Abonitalla, Fresie Mae Abonitalla;

Dalahay Bayhunan, Enecita Pauran, Leah Jane Abonitalla, Matmat Lucunran, Dony Cagmat;

Shanley Mabao, Erwin Hermosada, Felicitas Hermosada, Freddie Hernosa, Anabelle Lagoyan;

Nita Garcia, Bebie Garcia, John Bryan Disanito, John Rian Disanito, Lailane Disanito, and barangay councilor Melinda Tinangcuran of Barangay Tuburan.

The injured were rushed to the JR Borja Memorial General Hospital and Northern Mindanao Medical Center.

Colegio said the blue jeepney, bearing license plates KVK-781, is registered under the name of Josie Asuncion of Barangay Lumbia. It was driven by Ritchie Macua, also of Barangay Lumbia.

Colegio said the jeepney left the  Cogon area for Tumpagon with 57 passengers.

He said Macua lost control of the vehicle as its brakes malfunctioned while the driver was negotiating a sloping curve near the Taglima proper.

Dablio and Pimentel, he said, were on top of the jeepney — they leaped off but was crushed by the overturning jeepney.

Colegio said police would press charges of reckless imprudence resulting in multiple homicide, physical injuries and damage to property against Macua. The driver has been detained at the Lumbia police station.

Macua said he tried his best to keep the jeepney away from the ravine when the vehicle’s brakes malfunctioned.

“Wala man gyud to toyo-a. Pag larga namo gikan sa Cogon, maayo pa man ang break adto pero pagbahada namo sa Taglimao, pagsipa nako sa break, wala na man mohawid,” Macua said.

Jack Cabahug, the jeepney driver’s aide, said Macua was maneuvering a sharp curve at moderate speed when its brake malfunctioned.

“Misirit ang jeep di na madala sa driver kay bug-at pud. Didto milawos sa gamayng dalama,” Cabahug said.

Allan Guro, regional director of the Land  Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, said the families of the dead would receive P200,000 each while the injured would receive reimbursements for their medical costs from an insurance company.