BILIRAN, BILIRAN, Philippines – Four kids died on the spot and a fifth one at the hospital a day after a road accident along the highway fronting the Naval State University in this town at 7:30 p.m. last Wednesday (July 3).
The fatalities were identified as Maria Rose Bacalla, 9, Glory Anne Bacalla, 12, Marivic Garis, 9, Florens Garis, 7, and Jia Bacalla, 7, who was brought to the St. Paul’s Hospital in Tacloban City where she died Thursday afternoon.
Two other victims, aged 8 and 11, who were rushed to the same hospital, sustained injuries but were reported yesterday to be in stable condition.
All of them, while playing by the roadside, were ran over by a multi-cab of the Biliran Electric Cooperative (BILECO), driven by Poncio Banluta, 46, who was allegedly drunk and fell asleep while on the wheel.
Banluta, who is now in police detention, said he just came from Tacloban City, but made a stopover at a Leyte town where he had a drink with friends before resuming his way to Biliran. The vehicle veered out of control, mowed down the children and crashed into a makeshift store selling bottled gasoline by the road side.
The BILECO management, for its part, has shouldered all the expenses for the victims. (FREEMAN)