5 others injured in Lahug: American, driver hurt in subway accident

CEBU, Philippines – At least seven people, including an American national, were injured in separate vehicular accidents in Cebu City yesterday morning.

The first incident happened at the subway section of the Cebu South Coastal Road going to Cebu City at around 11 a.m. when a Mitsubishi Pajero, carrying Terrence Macdough and his Filipina wife, Jennifer, hit the rear portion of an Isuzu elf truck.

Raymundo Saniel, Jr., 35, was the one driving the Pajero (YDH-604) with the Macdough couple on their way to Ayala Center their residence in Barangay Suba, Argao.

Saniel allegedly lost control of the vehicle after its brakes failed to function causing the Pajero to ram the rear portion of the Elf (YHK-110) it was tailing.

The crash site is about 50 meters from the entrance of the subway going to Cebu City.

Because of the impact, the Pajero's hood went under the rear portion of the truck, which was carrying sacks of flour and was driven by Bonifacio Eredia, 38, of Tudela, Camotes Island.

Saniel said he was about to overtake the truck when the brakes suddenly failed to function.

Saniel and Macdough, who was sitting on the front seat, suffered bruises while the foreigner's wife remained unscathed.

In another accident, five people were hurt after a dump truck hit two carsa multicab and motorcycle- at the corner of Veteran's Drive and Gorordo Avenue, Barangay Lahug.

Police identified those who were injured as Celso Macalaste, Rosnar Labajo, a certain Renato, and two still unidentified people.

Rene Polinar, driver of a Toyota Corolla (GFN-473), told reporters yesterday that he was driving on his way to fetch his child from school when he noticed the truck traveling speedily.

The truck, whose brakes believed to have malfunctioned, hit the maroon Toyota Altis (GPP-672) with two people on board.

The truck then fell on its side and dragged the Toyota Altis, before it hit Polinar's car, a multicab and a motorcycle both parked nearby.

A certain Renato, a crew of an eatery nearby, was also injured when the Toyota Altis hit him.

All those injured were taken to the hospital and are now in stable conditions while authorities are looking for the dump truck driver, identified as Christian Morga, and his truck boy, who both fled after the incident. -WAB (FREEMAN)