CEBU, Philippines - At least 15 people were injured after a passenger jeepney they were riding crashed into the center island at Osmeña Boulevard in Cebu City shortly after midnight on Tuesday.
Edwin Jakosalem Calledo, 25, driver of the Isuzu PUJ, lost control of the vehicle when he tried to apply brakes after a vehicle ahead of him suddenly stopped. Initial investigation shows that Calledo was driving at a maximum speed towards Barangay Apas with 14 passengers on board.
Calledo reportedly swerved left to avoid a taxicab but instead hit the center island.
SPO3 Ramon Breman Budiongan, traffic investigator, said that because Calledo was traveling in a maximum speed he lost control of the vehicle. The vehicle then crashed and turned right side down and slid into the island.
Injured passengers were identified as Agustin Baoy, 45, of Barili, Cebu; Michael Vequizo, 28, of Barangay Mambaling; Roped San Balbuena, 25, of Barangay Guadalupe; Dezzle Gorres, 25, of Barangay Apas; 22-year-old victims Stephanie Ann Liturza of Naga town, Stephen Noval of Barangay Apas, Rone Torena of Barangay Mambaling, May Caryn Gumace of Naga, and Jennifer Gabuya of Talisay City.
Twenty-year-old Jepaul Vallazo of Barangay Camputhaw, Roel Suralta of Barangay Lahug, and Narciso Ariva, jeepney conductor, Rachel Amantillo, 33 and Valentin Cabando were also injured.
Except for Gorres who lost a finger due to the incident, the rest of the victims only sustained minor injuries, Budiongan said.
All the victims were taken into the Community Hospital nearby and also to the Cebu City Medical Center while the driver, who also suffered minor injury, was temporarily held in custody pending the filing of the criminal complaint for reckless imprudence resulting to multiple physical injuries. (FREEMAN NEWS)