Wayward truck kills 9 in Davao City

DAVAO CITY, Philippines — Nine people, including a two-year-old boy, died when a 10-wheeler truck plowed into several vehicles and houses along Matina Pangi Road in this city at past 9 a.m. yesterday.

Police said seven of the victims, who have yet to be identified, died at the scene.

The two-year-old, who was with his mother in a tricycle, was reportedly buried under the sacks of rice that fell from the truck.

Police said two of those injured were in critical condition at the Southern Philippines Medical Center.

The truck driver, Joel Aras,  was arrested. He told police his brake malfunctioned while he was approaching a gasoline station.

The truck rammed into a Toyota Hi-Ace before it hit seven other vehicles and several houses along the road.

In North Cotabato, tricycle driver Bedjie Acquisa died when his vehicle collided with a pickup in Kidapawan City on Monday.

The passengers of the tricycle – Lenie and Rodolfo, both surnamed Magbanua; Roselyn, Bella, 6, and Brialle, 3, all surnamed Acquisa, and Ai-Ai Tallium, 13, were injured and brought to a hospital for treatment.

The driver of the Ford Ranger, Eugenio Niedo was also injured. He reportedly lost control of the wheel and hit the tricycle in the opposite lane along the Cotabato-Davao Highway in Barangay Paco when one of the tires of his vehicle burst.

In Zambales, motorcycle rider Kevin Songuad, 21, died after he was ran over by a truck along the highway in Barangay San Jose, Castillejos.

Songuad was reportedly thrown off his motorcycle after he rammed a parked motorbike. – With Emmanuel Tupas, John Unson, Bebot Sison Jr.