LEGAZPI CITY—The Department of Education (DepEd) in Bicol would investigate the death of three public school students who were killed by a wayward truck while attending online classes on Sunday afternoon in Placer town in Masbate province.
Mark Kevin Arroco, development project officer of the DepEd Bicol public affairs office, said in an interview on Monday that the investigation would be conducted as a standard procedure, as the three girls were holding online classes during the incident.
Police Maj. Maria Luisa Calubaquib, Bicol police spokesperson, identified the victims as Christy Franciso, 16, a Grade 11 student; Jelian Tamayo, 13, who was in Grade 7; and Ferdalyn Cañete, 10, a Grade 5 student. They were all residents of the village of Matagangtang where the incident happened.
The victims were using the internet connection for their online classes at a roadside house at around 3:45 p.m. on Sunday when a 10-wheeler truck driven by Jomar Tanael, 30, crashed into the porch where the children were, killing them instantly, the police said in the report.
Tanael had lost control of his vehicle and swerved onto the shoulder of the road before crashing into the house, police investigation revealed.
Why on Sunday
Arroco said they had yet to receive a report from their provincial DepEd superintendent in Masbate but the agency wanted to know why the three girls were attending online classes on a Sunday.
Police Master Sergeant Romulo Tambago, case investigator of the Placer police, said by phone on Monday that Francisco was a student of Cataingan National High School. Tamayo studied at Matagangtang National High School, while Cañete was a pupil of Matagangtang Elementary School.
He said the truck was used to haul sand and gravel aggregates owned by an engineer from Masbate City and was on its way to Cataingan town from Milagros town when the incident happened.
The truck driver has been placed under police custody while a charge of reckless imprudence resulting in multiple homicide was being prepared against him.