1 dead, 8 hurt in 3-SUV smashup

MANILA, Philippines - A woman died while eight others were injured when three sport utility vehicles (SUVs) collided in Quezon City amid continuous rains at past midnight yesterday.

Chief Inspector Reynaldo Medina Jr. said the smashup involving a Mitsubishi Pajero and two Toyota Fortuners happened at around 1 a.m. along the westbound lane of Quezon Avenue in Barangay West Triangle.

Vanessa Tuazon, 25, of Paco, Manila, died upon arrival at Capitol Medical Center.

The eight injured were also rushed to the Capitol Medical Center. They are Alfredo Lim, the driver of one of the Fortuners; Shirly Tolentino, 52; Jennifer Tolentino, 34; Rosette Tolentino, 21; Mary Rose Tolentino, 17; Jenny Rose Buenbiaje, 16; Adrian Bautista, 14; and Jaisell Ryan Buenbiaje, two, all residents of Marikina City.

The Tolentinos and Buenbiajes were all in the other Fortuner, driven by Eduardo Tolentino, 56.

All three SUVs were moving in the same direction when the collision took place as they reached a u-turn slot.

Police said the vehicle driven by Lim, who had Tuazon riding with him in the front, hit the rear of the other Fortuner. Tuazon was thrown out of Lim’s Fortuner and hit the pavement.

The Fortuner driven by Tolentino spun several times and hit the rear of the Pajero.

Medina said that they have yet to talk to Lim, who remains confined at the hospital, to know what happened during the collision.