3 dead as truck crashes into wake in Batangas

SAN PEDRO CITY –– Three people were killed, while nine were injured after a delivery truck crashed into a crowd of people attending a wake in Alitagtag, Batangas early Wednesday.

Captain Eduardo Timbol II, Alitagtag police chief, identified the two fatalities as Armando Atienza and Michael Adaya.

He said investigators were still verifying the identity of the third victim, who died in the hospital.

In a phone interview, Timbol said nine others remained in the
hospital for serious injuries.

This was after a truck, loaded with animal feeds, crashed into a group of people around 1 a.m. in Barangay San Jose.

The victims were reportedly holding a wake and were gathered under a makeshift tent on the side of the road when hit by the vehicle.

According to the police, the truck tried to overtake another vehicle but ended up crashing into the tent.

They had identified the truck driver as a certain Jearland del Mundo, but he had escaped after the incident.

Timbol said police were still trying to find the driver. Maricar Cinco /lzb