13 hurt in another accident on EDSA
Van flips over after losing wheel
By Nancy C. Carvajal
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 04:40:00 11/17/2008
Filed Under: Road Accidents
MANILA, Philippines—The number 13 proved to be unlucky for a group of people who sustained injuries when their vehicles figured in an accident on the northbound lane of North Avenue and EDSA in Quezon City at 6:40 a.m. Sunday.
Quezon City Police District traffic head Supt. Norberto Babagay said 12 of the victims were passengers of a Toyota Tamaraw FX minivan.
The 13th victim, on the other hand, was a motorcycle rider who was travelling behind the van.
According to Babagay, the Tamaraw FX was cruising in front of the Central Bus Terminal near the Trinoma Mall when it lost its left rear wheel.
Eleno Pinera, 38, the vehicle’s driver, told the police that he then lost control of the van which flipped over, leaving him and his 11 passengers injured.
Dionides Arenas, 29, a motorcycle rider who was traveling behind the Tamaraw, was also hurt when the wheel of the van flew in his direction and hit him.
Arenas, Pinera and his passengers, mostly young children, were taken to the East Avenue Medical Center for treatment.
The police identified Pinera’s passengers as Lolita Templonuevo, 67; Imelda Luaton, 43; Maria Basijan, 68; Arlyn Piano, 16; Ronnie Antipasada, 11; Paul James Pinera, 9, John Derick Pinera, 12; Mary Rose Pinera, 16; Gilbert Pinera, 11; Engelbert Pinera, 16 and Emmalyn Pinera, 17.
Babagay said the victims were all released from the hospital after receiving treatment. Except for Templonuevo who had a swollen face, the rest suffered only cuts and bruises.
Arenas, meanwhile, had yet to file charges against Eleno Pinera, the police officer added.
According to Babagay, the van was probably travelling at high speed when the accident happened, causing it to flip over.
“The van could have been running fast as at that time, there was no traffic on EDSA because it was Sunday morning,” he said.
Vicente Marasigan, a traffic enforcer of the Quezon City Police District’s Traffic Sector 6, said the Tamaraw FX sustained only minor damage.
In recent weeks, EDSA (Epifanio delos Santos Avenue) has been the site of numerous accidents, mostly involving buses whose drivers were reportedly speeding, according to traffic enforcers.
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