14 killed in Kalinga jeepney crash

Residents of Balbalan town in Kalinga province collect the belongings of passengers of this jeepney that fell into a 200-meter ravine in the village of Dao-angan on Tuesday. Fourteen died in the crash. (Contributed photo)

Updated @ 11:13 p.m., Sept. 12, 2018

BAGUIO CITY — Fourteen passengers of an overloaded jeepney, many of them senior citizens who went to the town center of Balbalan in Kalinga province to get their monthly pension, were killed on Tuesday afternoon when their vehicle fell into the bottom of a 200-meter ravine.

The victims were headed home on a vehicle that was packed with more than 40 passengers.

Twenty-four other passengers were injured, most of them in critical condition, and were taken to a hospital in the Kalinga capital, Tabuk City, about 70 kilometers away from Balbalan.

Brake failure

Police said the jeepney was traveling downhill on a rough and muddy road in Barangay Dao-angan when the driver lost control of the wheel after its brakes failed.

Thirteen of the elderly passengers were killed instantly: Willy Gamongan, Benjamin Badong, Isabel Bagni, Victorio Banglagan, Rosario Badong, Soledad Dammay, Agueda Palangdao, Lolita Latawan, Eliza Amoga, Leota Maday, Angelina Benito, Teresa Dulansi, and Annie Baluga.

The 14th fatality, Martin Canao, died at the Kalinga Provincial Hospital in Tabuk City.

Police said they had yet to confirm whether a woman had also died while being treated.

Single lane

“The road in Dao-angan is rough, muddy, narrow and is virtually a single-lane municipal road. That was one the factors for the crash, aside from the jeepney being overloaded,” said Insp. Ruff Manganip, Kalinga police assistant information officer.

He said the jeepney could only fit 20 passengers.

Half of its passengers were sitting on the vehicle’s roof when the accident happened, Manganip said.

It was not immediately known whether the driver had survived.

Among those hurt from the fall were Arnel Banglagan, Laika Barbosa, Manuel Banguingan, Jennifer Esteban, Pedro Maday, Lolita Gullitis, Joselyn Gannisi, Socorro Naganag, Necita Daggay, Bartolome Balcanao, Patricio Magay, Mariano Palicas, and Leonarda Dumaguing.

Also injured were Anna Bagwingan, Imelda Cuzon, Caridad Palicas, Irene Dammay, Mercedez Kingbao, Conchita Canao, Sonia Barbosa, Concordia Manadao, Francisco Gumaad Jr., Edmund Duguit, and Nanette Gamongan.

A remote upland town, Balbalan is a third-class municipality with 12,195 residents, according to the 2015 census. —With a report from Kimberlie Quitasol /atm /pdi

A rescue team administers first aid to one of the injured jeepney passengers in Balbalan. (Photo courtesy the Bureau of Fire Protection in Pasil, Kalinga)

Kalinga province (outlined in red) is in Northern Luzon. (Image from Google Maps)