ORMOC CITY , Philippines – Doctors of the Ormoc District Hospital have declared dead on arrival three persons who were passengers of a single motorcycle after a head-on collision with an armored personnel carrier (APC) along the national highway in Barangay Juaton, past 9 p.m. Friday.
Police Community Precinct 2 chief Inspector Mark Nalda, identified the victims as Albert Rojas, 22, single, a resident of Baranggay Lim-ao, Kananga, Leyte; Ruben Ulan-ulan, of Baranggay Aguitingm Kananga, Leyte; and Larry Boy Castillo, 17; also of Baranggay Lim-ao. The driver of the APC owned by the 802nd Brigade based in Camp Downes this city was identified as Sgt. Rey Capungan.
Investigation conducted by the PCP2 chief showed that the victims were boarding a black Yamaha STX (TP-8-1831) driven by Ulan-ulan on their way to Kananga, Leyte when the incident occurred. Nalda said that the APC driven by Capungan was on his way to the city when he bumped the back of a parked dumped truck (GGA-603) and driven by Rey Cale y Salga, of Baranggay Mataloto, Leyte, who was allegedly running out of fuel.
The impact set off the APC to maneuver out of its lane and hit the approaching single motorcycle that failed to escape the situation because of its abruptness. The impact also caused the motorcycle passengers to be thrown several meters away from the impact site. Good Samaritans in the area led by their chairman Dominador Patenio brought the victims to the ODH but to no avail as they suffered severe fractures and contusions in different parts of the body causing their instantaneous death.
Yesterday, Inspector Nalda told The STAR that the driver of the APC, Sgt. Rey Capungan, was turned over to him by the Deputy Brigade Commander of 802nd Brigade Col. Allan Martin and is now languishing at the lock-up cell of the PCP2. He said that the Army assured the family of the victims their support.