BY JOEL CALAMBA ESCOL, Managing Editor
The police have already identified the passengers who died in a deadly collision of two trucks Monday morning along Agusan national highway.
Police Corporal Rodulfo Abaday, Jr. of Puerto Police Station identified those who died on the spot as Alvin Escabarte, 43, Bongo truck driver; Vernon Banuag, 76; Jasmine Banuag-Santos, 20; and her three-month old baby – all residents of Tagoloan town in Misamis Oriental.
The police investigator later added the names of those in critical condition and rushed to the Northern Mindanao Medical Center (NMMC) but were pronounced dead on arrival (DOA) by attending physicians. They were Manilyn Banuag, 35; Elmer Banuag and Mark Gabriel dela Cruz. The eight and the last fatality is still to be identified according to the police.
The police also named those injured passengers as Jake Camo, 3; Jason Camo 12; Jeffrey Camo, Jr., 4; Jeffrey Camo, Sr., 35; Kyle Camo, 7; Acer Banuag, 46; Alex Banuag, 36; Tiffany Grace Banuag, 14; Jeberlyn Banuag,16; Eli Banuag, 16; Felix Banuag, 49; Lydia Banuag, 36; Aldrin Banuag, 4; and Jedida Banuag, 23.
Gina Pagtalunan, 51; Jacklord Pagtalunan 40; Lucino Pagtalunan, 57; and Juni Mae Ada, 15 – all residents of Sto. Niño, Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental.
Meanwhile, Julieto Jabagat Telen, the Isuzu truck driver was already charged with reckless imprudence resulting in homicide.
But Telen told police investigators it was the Bongo driver who rammed him and he was only caught by surprise when a speeding Bongo was already in front of him.
He said he tried to evade the upcoming Bongo truck but there was not enough time as he already felt the impact of the collision.
Telen’s truck was loaded with live chickens to be delivered to its destinations in Cagayan de Oro when the deadly collision happened around 4 a.m. on Monday, December 5.
It was also known that the Bongo truck was loaded with passengers who are all relatives from Tagoloan town, Misamis Oriental. The group attended a burial of their kin in Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur. Upon going home and when they almost reached their hometown in Tagoloan, a tragic collision between another truck happened which resulted in eight fatalities and the injuries of 18 more passengers.
