CEBU, Philippines - The vehicle owned by Daanbantayan Mayor Maria Luisa Loot erupted in flames after it crashed into an empty sugarcane plantation while traversing the national highway in Barangay Don Virgilio Gonzales, Medellin yesterday morning.
Police said four persons onboard the Ford SUV Wagon E150, bearing plate number MVL-08, were unharmed as they were able to get out of it immediately.
Police identified them as Kerwin Arriesgado, 35, the driver; two-year-old Kersian Shimura, son of Provincial Board Member Sun Shimura; Crecenciana Mainit, 45, babysitter of Kersian; and PO3 Ryan Castro, of the Daanbantayan Police Station.
They were heading to Barangay Dayhagon in Medellin from Daanbantayan for Kersian’s hilot when the incident happened. They left Daanbantayan around 6:00 a.m.
Police investigation revealed that while they were traveling, the vehicle’s steering wheel suddenly locked and the air bags popped out.
Arriesgado then reportedly lost control of the vehicle, which ran off the road and crashed into an empty sugarcane plantation.
It was at this instance that Arriesgado noticed smoke coming out from the vehicle’s back, prompting them to immediately get out. A few minutes later the vehicle was engulfed in flames.
Personnel from the Medellin Fire Station immediately responded to the scene and put out the fire.
No one was hurt in the incident but the issued M4 assault riffle of Castro was burned.
Shimura let the Scene of the Crime Operatives and personnel from the Ford-Cebu office check the vehicle to determine the cause of the accident.
“I thanked God that nobody was injured kay fortunately they were able to disembark from the vehicle,” Shimura said in a phone interview.
Mayor Loot she said that if the incident happened due to factory defect, she will not file charges against Ford as it is only a waste of time.
Loot bought the vehicle six months ago. — (FREEMAN)