• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Nine persons on board a local government unit (LGU)-owned dump truck died when the vehicle fell off a cliff in Bayawan City, Negros Oriental past 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 4.
Police report said the vehicle was descending along the road in Sitio Mansintak, Barangay Kalamtukan when it over shot.
The fatalities were eight LGU employees, including the driver, Egmedio Arnaiz, and Warren Arseñas, a student of Negros Oriental State University Bayawan-Sta. Catalina Campus doing an on-the-job training.
The others were identified as Diomedes Canoy, Kervin Andog, Larry Llamos, Ronel Cabasag, Jonathan Hamor, Jovanie Babor, and Jonaryl Caguisa.
All of them were declared dead on arrival at the Kalumboyan Hospital, according to the police.
Initial report showed the dump truck, which was traveling from Barangay Manduao toward the city proper with five containers of crude oil, suffered a brake malfunction.
In Negros Occidental, two road crashes also took place in Kabankalan City and Candoni town.
On Feb. 3, alias “Melo”, 62, was declared dead on arrival at a hospital after his motorcycle collided with a passenger tricycle along Guanzon Street in Barangay Binicuil, Kabankalan City.
Two others were injured, including alias “Chris”, who was driving the tricycle without a license, and his passenger, alias “Lyn”.
Both are fish vendors and residents of Barangay Aguisan, Himamaylan City.
On Feb. 2, a 19-year-old American national driving a Mitsubishi Pajero crashed into a motorcycle in Barangay Caningay, Candoni.
The collision took place when the driver encroached into the opposite lane.
Motorcycle driver alias “Ronie” and his two back riders, alias “Jeje” and a minor, all residents of Barangay Talacdan, Cauayan, suffered injuries. | GB
