Zamboanga del Sur road crash kills cop, hurts 2 others

The ill-fated sports utility vehicle that figured in a road crash in San Miguel, Zamboanga del Sur on Tuesday, June 9, killing a cop. —MELBERT GUHIL

PAGADIAN CITY, Zamboanga del Sur –– A policeman was killed in a car accident along the national highway in San Miguel town in Zamboanga del Sur on Tuesday.

Patrolman Cleio Citz Calamba of the San Miguel town police station, was aboard a sports utility vehicle with two other police officers traveling home to Dimataling town from Pagadian City when the accident happened.

Captain Tesette Padua, San Miguel police chief, said the vehicle was driven by Captain Roger Bartiana, chief of Dimataling town police. The third passenger of the vehicle was Corporal Annabel Morales.

As they were negotiating a road in Barangay Limonan that was made slippery by heavy rains, Bartiana lost control of the vehicle. It swerved onto the shoulder and slammed into the railings.

Due to the strong impact, Calamba was thrown out of the vehicle, and also slammed into the road railing.

The three were rushed to the Margosatubig Regional Hospital in Margosatubig town, where Calamba was declared dead from serious injuries.

The two other cops are still confined at the hospital and are already in stable condition.

Padua said the San Miguel police are conducting further investigation on the incident.

LZB