- GILBERT BAYORAN
Police probers are preparing charges for reckless imprudence resulting in multiple homicide and multiple physical injuries, as well as damage to properties, against the driver of a public utility vehicle that figured in a road accident Nov. 11 in Calatrava, Negros Occidental.
Three PUV passengers died and 36 others were injured during the accident.
Declared dead on arrival at the Calatrava Municipal Hospital were Rochelle Visitacion, 32; Elma Baynosa, 72; and Aranita Agravante, 63, the police report added.
Twelve of the passengers went home after an initial treatment, while others were referred to various hospitals for further treatment.
The driver, identified by the Calatrava police as Jose Jequito Florencondia, immediately surrendered and is presently locked up at the police custodial facility.
Initial police investigations showed that the PUV was overloaded with passengers and its brake malfunctioned and hit a tree along the national highway of Brgy. Malatas in the town.
In his report to the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office, P/Maj. Lumyaen Lidawan, Calatrava police chief, said that the PUV was bound for Brgy. Hilub-ang, Calatrava and was negotiating a downhill curve, when Florencondia lost control of the vehicle after its brake malfunctioned.
The PUV hit a Gmelina tree and was almost in total wreck, the police said.
Two motorcycles, owned by Jimmy Pason and Julie de La Pena, as well as the sari-sari store of Vilma Muelen, were also damaged as a result of the vehicular accident, Lidawan said./GB
