3 dead, 6 hurt as 2 SUVs collide on Cagayan highway

TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan, Philippines – The outings of two families turned tragic when the sport utility vehicles collided, killing three and injuring six, along the national highway in Larion Alto here last Friday, authorities said.

PO1 Catherine Rueco identified the fatalities as Armando Mateo Jr., 26, who drove Hyundai Sta. Fe and his passenger, Harvey Turingan; and Rolly del Rosario, who drove the Isuzu Sportivo.

Injured were Nelita Mayo, 69, a passenger of the Hyundai Sta. Fe; and Teresita Salvador, 49; Pamela Costales, 32, and her son John Costales, seven, and siblings Sophia Salientes, nine, and Samantha, 11.

Rueco said both vehicles were coming from opposite directions when the Isuzu Sportivo apparently encroached on the lane of the Manila-bound Hyundai Sta. Fe. Police were still investigating the case.

Meanwhile, at least 17 workers of a Korean company in Bataan were seriously injured after their service vehicle rammed a narra tree along the Roman Superhighway in Balanga City Saturday.

In a report to Camp Olivas in Pampanga, Senior Superintendent Audie Atienza, Bataan police provincial director, said the workers were on their way to work in Balanga City when they met the accident.

The victims are workers of Acre-Red, a Korean firm doing piping works at the multimillion-peso expansion project at the Petron refinery in Limay town. They were rushed to the Bataan General Hospital in Balanga.

Police said the driver, Ronald Alvarado, 48, lost control of the wheel after a tricycle suddenly appeared along the highway.a– With Ric Sapnu