Student dies, 19 hurt in road mishaps

MAKATI, Philippines — A high school student died and 19 others were injured in separate vehicular accidents in Makati and Parañaque on Wednesday night.

Jules Villapando, 13, a student of Pio del Pilar National High School, died while being treated in a hospital.

Her schoolmates – Dexter Aquino, 13; Alvin Regalario, 14; Donita de Chavez, 13; Serjen Arucan, 14; Andrei de la Cruz, 15; Phoebe Marie Pestano, 15, and Oscar Wendell Ponce – were brought to the Makati Medical Center and Ospital ng Makati for treatment.

Mayor Abby Binay ordered the city police to identify the operator of the jeepney and recommended the suspension of its franchise by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board.

Binay said they would extend assistance to the victims.

Traffic probers said the students were crossing the pedestrian lane at the corner of J.P. Rizal and Mabini streets in Barangay Poblacion at around 7:20 p.m. when a passenger jeepney (PYV-848) driven by Crisalde Tamparo, 31, struck them.

The accident was caught on closed-circuit television footage.

Tamparo told probers that he lost control of the jeepney after the brakes malfunctioned.

In Parañaque, a sport utility vehicle (SUV) driven by Allan Acebedo crashed along Redemptorist Road near the Baclaran Church.

At least 10 churchgoers and vendors were injured after they were hit by the SUV, police said.

The wayward vehicle plowed through motorcycles, an e-trike and vendors’ carts parked in the area.

Tamparo and Acebedo were taken into police custody after the accidents.