Passenger killed, another hurt in truck-tricycle collision

MANILA, Philippines - A passenger was killed while another was critically wounded when an over-loaded gravel truck crashed on the victims’ tricycle yesterday morning in Malabon City.

SPO2 Danilo Borreros, Malabon City police traffic investigator, identified the wounded victim as Armando Carillo, 35, resident of Barangay North Bay Boulevard South in Navotas while the dead victim was yet to be identified. “Nothing was recovered from the victim’s body which may help us identify him,” Borreros said. He said the remains of the victim were brought to Eusebio Funeral Homes in Malabon City.

Carillo was still in critical condition yesterday at the Tondo Medical Center, Borreros said.

Elmer Rosaldo, 51, was driving his tricycle (UW-7209) along Lapu-Lapu Avenue in Barangay Longos, Malabon City with two passengers when suddenly it was hit on its passenger side by a 10-wheeler truck (CNS-681) fully loaded with gravel. The two passengers were pinned inside as the tricycle folded like a thin can when trampled by the truck.

“I was about to enter our parking bay on reverse position but my truck’s engine conked out and I lost control,” truck driver Benedicto Pader, 43, said. He said that their loading area is elevated and his truck freely slid down hitting the passing tricycle of the victims. Pader said his truck was over-loaded.

He said that Ton-Ton Hao, owner of their trucking firm Win Concrete Aggregate Inc., with main office in Camarin, Caloocan City, already coordinated with the police to extend assistance to the victims. But Borreros said despite cooperation by Pader’s boss, the driver could still face charges of reckless imprudence resulting in homicide, serious physical injuries and damage to properties.