Lawmaker’s niece dies in Nagtahan smashup

MANILA, Philippines – A niece of Laguna Rep. Benjamin Agarao Jr. died in a traffic accident along Nagtahan Bridge in Manila before dawn yesterday.

It took more than 30 minutes for rescue personnel to pull out Agarao’s niece, Ivory Abaya, and her companion, Karen Graneta, who were pinned in a Grab taxi after a delivery truck rear-ended their vehicle.

Truck driver Edison Gonzales said his vehicle’s brakes failed when he reached the top of the bridge’s southbound lane and slammed into the taxi, which rammed the truck in front of it.

Rescuers used heavy-duty cutters to open the taxi’s roof before they could help the victims.

Abaya was unconscious when she was pulled out of the taxi and died at the Ospital ng Maynila.

Graneta suffered several broken bones and was taken to the UST Hospital along with driver Antonio Maraya.

Gonzales was taken into custody and faces charges of reckless imprudence resulting in homicide and multiple injuries.