SAN PEDRO CITY — The driver of the truck that rammed two passenger jeepneys and left six people dead in Antipolo City in Rizal province has gone missing.
Authorities have also yet to talk to the owners of the trucking services, whose trailer truck was loaded with glass panels when it figured in the accident along Sumulong Highway, around 3:40 p.m. Saturday.
Six people, including truck helper John Paul Mallari, died.
“(The case is still) under a follow-up investigation. Definitely, charges will be filed against the (truck) operator,” said Lt. Arnold Mercado, ground commander of the Antipolo City police.
In a phone interview Sunday, Mercado said the truck overtook another vehicle as it approached a sharp curve of the highway in Barangay (village) Mambugan.
Mercado said that based on their investigation, the truck lost its control and rammed two passenger jeepneys in front of it.
“The container van (of the truck) fell off and pinned down some of the victims,” Mercado said. The rescue and retrieval took police and responders until Saturday evening.
The police identified the fatalities as Giovanie Bongaitan, Limuel Espinorio, Ramona Macaladcad, Denise Kyla Yu, and Javes Vincent Nimo. Four others remained in the hospital, including the jeepney drivers, Alex Dagupan and Rey Mandy Pelayo.
The jeepneys were plying the Antipolo City-Marikina City route. /je