The truck, which was owned by the municipality of La Libertad, was carrying more than 50 people, most of them farmers, coming home from market day held in barangay Poblacion every Thursday.
Police Regional Office community relations chief S/Supt. Alexander Abadinas said the truck was driven by Burdik Menoy, 24, of barangay Cansumanhig of the said town.
Based on the report submitted by Negros Oriental Provincial Police Office, the six-wheeler truck earlier brought passengers and farm products from barangays Aya and Cansumanhig, around 13 kilometers away, to the town proper and was taking them back home when it lost its brakes.
Despite the trouble, Menoy said he tried not to panic since the road goes straight downhill and decided to find a safe place where to stop. But he said a passenger seated next to him, Marcelo Bolingot, panicked and tried to jump out of the window passing infront of the steering wheel.
With this distraction, Menoy lost control of the wheel and hit an electric post causing the truck to swerve and fall down a cliff, killing 12 people on the spot, and seriously injuring 35 others.
Three of the injured did not make it alive to the Guihulngan District Hospital, while those with serious injuries were rushed to the Negros Oriental Provincial Hospital, the police said.
Menoy, who is now detained at the municipal jail for possible charges, suffered only a minor cut in his forearm after he was pinned by his passengers. He claimed he had cousins among the dead but did not identify them. - Edwin Ian Melecio