KIDAPAWAN CITY (MindaNews/01 March) – Six persons died—five of them passengers of a pubic transport utility van—and 10 others were wounded in a three-vehicle collision along the highway in Pikit, North Cotabato at around 12:15 p.m. Friday, police said.
Chief Insp. Jordine Maribojo, Pikit police chief, identified three of the slain passengers of the Toyota Hi-Ace van as Mohammad Samil, the van driver, Sulaiman Macaindeg and Bacuna Musa.
The injured were identified as Tintin Castillon, Elmer Madsay, Judy Uy, Niafa Esmael, Norhana Minang, Marima Landasan, Chanads Manampan, Sadam Lumanda, Alma Rose Maciado, and Michael Barrientos, a member of the Special Forces of the Philippine Army.
Maribojo said the van, on its way to Davao City from Cotabato City, was negotiating a curve along the highway in Barangay Takepan, Pikit when it hit a jeepney.
Barrientos, who was on board an M-35 military truck, said the van was speeding too fast when it smashed the jeep, which was plying the Pikit-Cotabato route.
“After the van smashed the jeep, it also hit our vehicle,” said Barrientos, noting the van turned turtle afterwards due to the impact.
Maciado, another injured jeepney passenger, said the passenger van, which was totally wrecked, was moving fast in the wrong lane when it hit the jeepney.
Six of the victims of the collision, including Maciado and Barrientos, were rushed to the Kabacan Polymedic Hospital in Poblacion, Kabacan for treatment. (Malu Cadelina Manar/MindaNews)
