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By JIGGER J. JERUSALEM and
JOEY NACALABAN, Correspondents .

TWO people were killed when a Camiguin-bound van from Ozamiz City rammed into a public vehicle in Zone 2, Barangay Aplaya, Jasaan town, Misamis Oriental, at around 6:30 am yesterday.

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Police said two passengers of a jeepney-type Multicab small light truck was killed, one of whom was identified as 32-year-old Melijon Maccion of Lipa-lipa, Quezon, Bukidnon. The other remains unidentified at press time.

Maj. Dennis delos Santos, Jasaan town police chief, said the delivery van, driven by John Allen Elcarte, was heading towards the eastern part of Misamis Oriental when it suddenly veered to the opposite direction and bumped into the small light truck used for public transportation. The 25-year-old Elcarte is from Barangay Bagakay,  Ozamiz city.

The van also hit a motorcycle tailing the Multicab, he said. The motorcycle’s driver was identified as Adan Pasol, a resident of Barangay Poblacion, Lagonglong, Misamis Oriental.

Delos Santos said the small light truck, driven by 30-year-old Ryan Delima of San Martin, Villanueva,  Misamis Oriental, was filled with passengers.

“The Multicab was at full seating capacity,” he said, adding that aside from the two who died, nine of the passengers sustained injuries although the other passengers were unscathed.

“Some of the passengers who were unharmed just flagged down passing public utility vehicles and continued with their business as if nothing happened,” delos Santos said.

He said a certain Philip Angelo Barbosa, one of the passengers, is in serious condition after he injured his head during the accident.

Based on the video footage taken from a dashboard camera from one of the vehicles at the accident scene, there were only a few motorists on the road at the time.

“We could not say that the van’s driver was trying to overtake another motorist since there was no vehicle ahead of him,” delos Santos said.

“It was probable that he (Elcarte) fell asleep for a few seconds causing the van to swerve to the opposite direction and rammed into the Multicab,” he added.

Delos Santos said Elcarte is facing charges of reckless imprudence resulting in multiple homicides, damage to property, and multiple physical injuries.

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