23 hurt in transcentral accident

CEBU, Philippines — Twenty-three individuals were injured after a mini dump truck they were riding on tipped over while negotiating a downhill portion of Transcentral Highway in Barangay Cansomoroy, Balamban town last Sunday.

Police Staff Sergeant Donard Pitogo, traffic investigator of Balamban Police Station, said the victims are from Barangay Pulangbato, Cebu City. They were on their way to a beach excursion in Asturias when the accident happened.

Truck driver Archie Dionson, 35, claimed he was driving downhill when he noticed the brake was not working. Dionson told the police that he maneuvered to try to stop the vehicle by ramming into the metal railings along the highway.

"Sa babaw pa lang ingon sa driver ug sa pasahero nga naa sa front seat, nawad-an jud og brake ning gisakyan mao nang ingon sa driver, iyang gibangga didto sa railings,” Pitogo said.

The driver lost control of the vehicle until it tipped over.

Among the passengers, two were transported to the hospital in Cebu City although their injuries were not serious. The rest of the passengers were treated outpatient.

The driver was held under police custody but was later released after none of the victims filed a complaint.

"Dili lang daw sila (passengers) mopasaka og kaso, ila lang tabangan to’ng mga kaliwat nila nga naay injury," said Pitogo.

Pitogo said they did not have any valid grounds to detain the driver because he was able to present a valid driver’s license and other documents. He said what happened was purely an accident considering that the area is also considered accident-prone.

In fact, several accidents had been recorded in the area.

"Kay sugod pa sauna nga nahimo kong traffic investigator, katong area sige kong (respond) og alarma nga vehicular. Accident-prone area jud na siyang dapita labi na kung bag-o ka ug wa ka ma suhito sa lugar," said Pitogo.

A billboard has been installed in the area to warn motorists to exercise caution because the place is accident-prone. The police and the barangay officials of Gaas even installed a tally board showing the number of deaths and injuries because of accidents in the area. — FPL (FREEMAN)