1 dead, 11 injured in bridge accident

CEBU, Philippines - A woman died while 11 others were injured when two vehicles figured in an accident on Marcelo Fernan Bridge yesterday morning.

PO3 Melvin Leones of the Mandaue City Traffic Division said both vehicles were traveling in the same direction towards Lapu-Lapu City at around 10 a.m. when the incident happened.

Based on investigation, the Isuzu Elf driven by Armando Asentista changed lanes when the passenger multicab travelling in front of it slowed down. When it did so, however, its rear portion was hit by the Isuzu Prime Mover travelling behind, thrusting it into concrete center island before it turned turtle, throwing its 10 passengers off to the pavement.

The passengers sustained injuries but one of them, Erlinda Caburnay, did not survive. Her son, Arturo, confirmed to police that she passed away at the Mactan Doctor’s Hospital. Caburnay was also seated in front.

The other passengers in the Isuzu Elf were identified as Maloy Flores, 23; Rich Carl Pebabar,15; Ger Cabarada, 22; Isidro Labay, 49; Feliciano Paculi, 49; Aquin Mortalla, 42: Gilbey Malig-on, 42 and Gover Andrew Manoba, 35, all residents of Sitio Kalubihan in Barangay Banawa, Cebu City. They were brought to the Mandaue City Hospital.

Rescuers also had to use a hydraulic splitter to take Emiliano Quimco, the driver of the Isuzu Prime Mover, out of the vehicle, as the strong impact with the Isuzu Elf also damaged the driver’s portion of the truck, pinning Quimco to his seat. 

Quimco was first brought to the Mandaue City Hospital but was transferred later to the Don Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center in Cebu City.

It was learned that Caburnay’s group was heading to Cordova town for a landscaping job at a newly opened beach resort in the town. They came from Caburnay’s garden in Barangay Banilad, Mandaue City.

The incident caused heavy traffic on the bridge, especially that the crude oil from the Isuzu Elf spilled into the road. Firefighters from Mandaue had to clean the bridge of the oil.

Camotes accident

Meanwhile, in northern town of Pilar in Camotes Island, a minor died while his companions were injured when the motorcycle they were riding plummeted into a cliff.

The fatality was identified as Joey Becalas, 17, while his companions were identified as Joemar Recorte, 19, and Poldito Carloman, 22. Becalas was the one driving the motorcycle. The incident happened last Tuesday evening.

Becalas suffered a laceration on his left temporal area and severe injuries in his throat and left cheek. He was pronounced dead on arrival at the Pilar Municipal Health Center.

Recorte sustained injuries on the left eye brow and right arm and bruises in his back while Carloman got injured on the left part of his face and lower knee.

Investigation showed that the three went to Barangay Biasong to watch a basketball game at around 8:30 p.m. but decided to go home 30 minutes later because the game did not push through.

They were reportedly maneuvering a downhill slope when the motorcycle swerved to the left and down to a three-meter cliff. Recorte and Carloman were thrown off the vehicle before it slammed into a tree with Becalas still driving. — with Grace Melanie I. Lacamiento/JMO (FREEMAN)