KIDAPAWAN CITY (MindaNews/7 Nov) – A school teacher died while 19 others were injured, many of them in serious condition, when a Forward-type passenger truck reportedly lost its brakes and fell off a steep hill along the highway in President Roxas in North Cotabato 3:45 p.m. today, police said.
The jeepney was on its way to Barangay Linao in Matalam town in North Cotabato when the accident happened.
Sr. Insp. Nestor Cachuela, chief of the President Roxas PNP, identified the slain passenger as Teresita Algar, 60, teacher at the Linao Elementary School.
Algar, according to Cachuela, was covered with sacks of rice and corn after the truck turned turtle five times. She died on the spot.
The injured were identified as Quennie Hazel Almendral, 20; Nena Vasquez, 57; Lenny Paragas Gabao, 23; Gloria Nombrado-Macaventa, 43; Lea Maganzo Aca-ay, 53; Margarita Cabayao Alagdan, 61; Consorcia Almendral, 57; Nelia Nombrado, 45; Antonio Buton, 58; Elsa Mendoza Amaro, 46; Flora Mae Valenzuela, 24; Rosalie delos Santos, 37; Edna Bacus, 47; Sonia Quema, 49; Rosita Tauro, 28; Teodola Tesoro, 74; and three children identified as Billy delos Santos, 8; Debbie delos Santos, 5; and Nizza Rose Mendoza Amaro, 10.
View Teacher slain, 19 hurt in accident along Cotabato’s ‘killer curve’ in a larger map
The truck was fully loaded with agricultural products and passengers, according to one of the injured passengers, Gloria Nombrado-Macaventa.
“We heard a loud explosion and then later we saw the truck turn turtle five times until we reached the bottom of the cliff,” said Macaventa.
Driver Antonio Buton denied his vehicle malfunctioned.
Buton, in an interview, said the road was very slippery after it rained for hours.
“Since I was carrying a heavy load, I failed to reach the top of Barangay Greenhills in President Roxas town, identified as one of the killer curves along the President Roxas-Antipas-Arakan road in North Cotabato,” Buton said.
The owner of the passenger vehicle, according to Cachuela, is willing to shoulder the expenses of the injured passengers.
Of the 19 injured, 15 were brought to the Kidapawan Medical Specialist Center in Kidapawan City, while the rest are being treated at the New Cebu District Hospital in President Roxas town. (Malu Cadeliña Manar / MindaNews)
