Lubao, Pampanga—Seven people died on the spot in a multi-vehicle crash involving a pickup truck, passenger jeepney, and flatbed truck on New Year’s Day in Barangay San Agustin here.
Closed-circuit television footage showed that at about 5 p.m. Wednesday, a passenger jeepney with 22 passengers was en route to the City of San Fernando when a pickup truck suddenly appeared from the other lane and hit the jeepney.
Due to the strong impact, the jeepney landed on the opposite side of the road and was rammed by an incoming fish truck.
Seven of the jeepney passengers identified as Marie Grace David, Rowel Flores, Linette Balite, Princess Quinto, Alex Razheed Nilayan, John Raven Astrero, and Mary Grace Castro died on the spot.
Nine others were hurt in the accident—seven of them were taken to Pampanga Medical Specialist Hospital and two others at Jose B. Lingad Memorial Regional Hospital in the City of San Fernando.
The passenger jeep was a total wreck.
Lt. Col. Michael John Riego, Lubao chief of police, said the driver of the pickup truck identified as Alexander Domingo, 68, is facing charges for reckless imprudence resulting in multiple homicides, physical injuries, and damage to properties.
Riego said that Domingo is now detained at the Lubao Municipal Police Station.
Meanwhile, two cousins drowned while two others were brought to the hospital during a family outing on New Year’s Day in Sta. Catalina, Negros Oriental.
A report from the Negros Oriental Provincial Police Office identified the fatalities as John Mark Belnas Fabro, 16, and Rona Gaudia Fabro, 21, both residents of Sitio Pinamgimnan, Barangay Obat, Sta. Catalina Negros Oriental.
The two others who are now recuperating at the hospital are Camille Binghil Fabro, 18, and Rhena Gaudia Fabro, 18, also residents of Sitio Pinamgimnan.
Rona Gaudia Fabro and Rhena Gaudia Fabro are siblings, said Chief M/Sgt. Edilberto Euraoba III, NOPPO Public Information Officer.
The police report said that at around 1:15 p.m. Wednesday, the Sta. Catalina Police Station received a call regarding a drowning incident at Sitio Guba in Barangay Poblacion Sta. Catalina, which prompted them to conduct a rescue operation.
Initial investigation showed that the family of the victims had gone swimming at sea when the four suddenly found themselves in distress near the breakwater in Sitio Guba.
The four were rescued and brought to the Bayawan District Hospital in nearby Bayawan City. However, two of them were declared dead on arrival.
One of the survivors, Camille Fabro, was transferred to a hospital in Dumaguete City for further medical treatment.
The police are still investigating the circumstances surrounding the drowning.