7 injured in an early morning accident in Busay, Cebu City

CEBU, Philippines —  At least seven persons were injured when a Toyota Avanza rammed into a concrete wall near Busay Elementary School in Cebu City early Monday morning.

Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CCDRRMO) responded to a vehicular accident that injured seven people as a Toyota Avanza hit a concrete wall near Busay Elementary School.

The vehicle driver was identified as Joshua Padillo, 20 years old. He was with three male and three female passengers who are mostly in their 20s.

"Akong nahibaw-an gyud tua ni sa side sa Balamban nga padulhog nalang," said Ramil Ayuman, head of the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office who responded to the incident.

According to the initial assessment of the responders, all of the passengers appeared to be drunk as described by barangay tanods who first responded to the incident after receiving the alarm at 4:42 a.m.

Witnesses in the area also claimed that the vehicle was traveling at high speed before it lost control at the curved part of the road.

Ayuman further said that if not for the concrete wall, the accident could have been serious as the vehicle could have rammed into nearby houses or possibly have fallen into a cliff.

"Naigo sila sa pader, mao to wala gyud nakalahos, swerte gyud lang naay pader," he said.

Victims are now being attended at a hospital in the city where the ambulance brought them.

CCDRMMO has dispatched four ambulances, one heavy rescue truck and one quick response team.

Investigation

Meanwhile, the police are still investigating into the possible liability of the driver who accordingly told the police during the interrogation that he lost control of the vehicle.

"Matud pa sa driver ma'am nikalit lang kuno syag ka lose control seguro iyang padagan sa akong tan-aw, medyo kusog-kusog maong na lose control siya," said the traffic investigator of Mabolo Police Station.

As of this writing, those injured were stable and some of them were already discharged from the hospital after being treated.

As to the report that all of the involved were under the influence of alcohol during the accident, investigator said they are yet to verify the information.

"Naa juy liability (driver) kay naguba man ang sakyanan but actually katong mga pasahero niya wala man sad ni-file og complaint kay puro man sila kaila, wala may niari og nireklamo," said the investigator.

Aside from this, the driver could also possibly be responsible for the damage of the wall of the house which the vehicle rammed into.

The house owner is yet to decide on the matter.

Police Lt. Colonel Wilbert Parilla, Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) deputy city director for operations, said they have directed the station commander to verify if the driver was indeed under the influence of alcohol during the accident.

"We have to check on that considering nga buntag sayo na, kung tinuod man gani na nga nakainom, so that is an additional charges against the violator," said Parilla

He said that the investigators were also tasked to coordinate with the hospital where they were brought to check for the liquor test. — Dianah Rule Salinguhay, CNU Intern, GMR (FREEMAN)