Truck plows into houses along Sumulong Highway; 8 dead

MANILA, Philippines - At least eight people were killed while 13 others were injured after an 18-wheeler cargo truck plowed into a row of eateries and houses along Sumulong Highway in Antipolo City yesterday morning.

According to Roderick Francia, officer-in-charge of the operations section of the Antipolo City Rescue, the cargo truck with license plate RFD-594, driven by Philip Adriano with his helper Artemio Monleon, 26, had just passed the gate of the Valley Golf and Country Club in Barangay Mambugan on the way down to the Masinag Junction when the accident happened at around 11:30 a.m.

Francia said the truck, which was apparently speeding, according to traffic enforcer Rolando Gonzales, lost its brakes and first slammed into an owner type jeep driven by Elpidio Balamiento. After hitting the jeep, the truck went on and crashed into the rear end of a passenger jeepney driven by Ramonito Asis.

After hitting the two vehicles, the truck then plowed into the row of roadside houses and eateries which were then filled with people having lunch.

Most of the fatalities were said to have died on the spot.

Francia said the injured Adriano, Monleon and Baliamento, along with eight others, were rushed to the Amang Rodriguez Medical Center in Marikina City while two were taken to the Antipolo Medical Hospital.

Police said Adriano is considered arrested and is now being watched by police at the hospital.

The fatalities were identified as Jonathan Sarol, 15; and his brother, Jason Sarol, 17; John Marvin Baccay; John Nomer Azucenas; Rodel Cornelio; Marilyn Corpuz; Liza Tobias and Ibrahim Adil. They were taken to the St. James Funeral Homes in Barangay Mayamot.

Also reported injured were Angelica Javier, Melendrina Fuentes, Ligaya Balbastro, Catherine Fuentes, Melvin Bunaga, Evelyn Balamiento, Ricabelle Balamiento, John Carl Reyes, Lorna Dueno and Philip Bunag.

Meanwhile, Francia said although it was earlier reported that there were shabu and drug paraphernalia found inside the truck cab, he did not see any.

“I did not see any drugs or drug paraphernalia inside the truck during the rescue. But I have heard that there were drugs. It is for the police to investigate,” he said.

But Antipolo City police chief Supt. Rodino Elfa confirmed that police officers retrieved from the truck’s cab a piece of aluminum foil that they suspect was used for snorting shabu.

“We already sent to the SOCO (Scene of the Crime Operatives) the aluminum foil so they could test it for shabu residue. At the moment, we cannot say yet if the driver was high on drugs when the incident happened. Let us not believe speculations because the issue may just be blown out of proportion,” Elfa said.

Antipolo City Mayor Nilo Leyble said he has directed the city’s Social Welfare and Development Office to provide the necessary assistance to the victims. – With Ed Amoroso