BY JOEL ESCOL, Managing Editor
MDNN GENERAL SANTOS CITY – At least 10 passengers have died in an accident tagged by police authorities as one of the deadly accidents in this city.
Police authorities reported that the dead count has increased after another victim who was undergoing treatment at a hospital has also died.
Those who died on the spot were identified by responding police investigators as Lalaine Joy Labang, Carlo Advincula, Mylene Donaldo, Ryan Jay Niñez, Regie Pag-ong, Salvacion Masugbod, Alfredo Abatayo and Rose Ann Macpal. The driver of the Van identified as Noel Podadera and the truck driver, Cesar Andaya have also died in the accident.
Colonel Paul Bometivo, chief of the City police office told the media the road mishap involves a Hi-ace van, a Ford Raptor and a ten-wheeler wing van.
Initial investigation by the police said that the left tire of the Toyota van reportedly exploded while negotiating an uphill curve in Barangay Batomelong which sparked the accident involving the three vehicles.
Bometivo said: “The passenger van swerved to the left and hit head-on with the cargo truck.”
As a result, seven passengers of the van have died on the spot while three of them were injured and were immediately sent to a hospital in General Santos City.
