1 dead, 2 hurt in Commonwealth Avenue smashup

MANILA, Philippines - A 73-year-old man died while two others were injured in a traffic accident involving five vehicles along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City yesterday morning.

Alfonso Mallari, of Filinvest 1 in Batasan Hills, was killed in the accident on the avenue’s westbound lane fronting the Sandiganbayan building at past 5 a.m., Police Officer 2 Alfredo Moises said. Bureau of Customs public information chief Charo Logarta-Lagamon denied reports that Mallari was a Customs officer.

Taxi driver Rodelio Cabutaje and his still unidentified passenger were injured in the accident, which involved a Honda Civic, a Toyota Innova, an Isuzu D Max, a Mitsubishi Adventure and Cabutaje’s cab.

Mallari was driving his Civic from the Quezon Memorial Circle when he lost control and hit the center island before crossing into the opposite lane.

At this point, the sedan bumped the pickup and then the Innova until it reached the Adventure.

The Civic continued spinning until it bumped the taxicab.

Rescue teams pulled Mallari out of the Civic and brought him to East Avenue Medical Center, where he died. – Reinir Padua, Evelyn Macairan