What is left of the van following an accident in Barangay Mayabon, Zamboanguita town, Negros Oriental that claimed the lives of five students. (photo by Contributor Michael Gamala)
DUMAGUETE CITY — Five high school students were killed and 10 other classmates and their teacher were injured when the V-hire passenger van they were riding swerved and ran right into the path of an oncoming cargo truck at 6:20 a.m. on Friday in Barangay Mayabon, Zamboanguita town of Negros Oriental.
Police identified the fatalities as sisters Cherry Rose, 17; and Cherry Ann Kadusale 17; Joshua Busmeon, 18; Kevin Aguilar, 14; and Christian Buenconsejo, 17.
The injured passengers were identified as teacher John Mark Prestin and students James Bagarinao, 18; Elmar Toquero, 17; Justine Generoso, 18; Willie CJ Chua, 17; Jesse May Cabanal, 18; and four others who remained unidentified.
The fatalities were members of the MathSayaw team of the Basay National High school, who were returning home from a competition in Cebu City.
Police said the V-hire driver, Jaypee Sarad, 29, lost control of the vehicle and swerved to the opposite side of the road which was slippery.
Some of the victims were rushed to the Silliman Medical Center while the others at Negros Oriental Provincial Hospital in Dumaguete City.
But the attending physician pronounced three of them dead on arrival.
First responders and curious onlookers crowd around the scene of the Friday accident in barangay Mayabon, Zamboanguita, that claimed three lives. (photo by Contributor Michael Gamala)