9 die, 2 hurt as private van slams house, tricycle in Cagayan

TUGUEGARAO CITY — Nine people, including a baby girl, died instantly while two others were hurt after a wayward private van crashed into a house and a garage in Lal-lo town in Cagayan province Saturday night, Feb. 5, police said Sunday.

Police Major Jefferson Mukay, Lal-lo police chief, said in phone interview that the nine victims Aladin, Duarte, Jeric, Eric, and Charie, all surnamed Oñate; May-ann, Rosita, and Elisa, all surnamed Martinez; and Clarita Maganay died instantly after a van being driven by Dan Vincent Domingo, 42 and a member of the Philippine Army stationed in Tabuk City, Kalinga, hit a house in Barangay (village) San Lorenzo at around 9:30 p.m.

“The van driver miscalculated the sharp curve, causing the accident,” Mukay said Sunday.

Police said the victims belong to two separate families, and Elisa, who was almost a year old, was the youngest victim of the accident.

Bryan Lyssander Torida, municipal disaster risk reduction and management office — Allacapan rescuers head, said in a phone interview Sunday that the victims were caught unaware by the crash, causing their instant deaths.

“They were not able to see the crashing van and they could no longer run for safety due to the heavy impact,” he added.

Report also said Domingo and his unidentified passenger were also injured and taken to the Matilde Olivas District Hospital.

Domingo was on his way to Luna town in Apayao when he miscalculated a sharp curved part of a highway and encroached the other lane, slamming onto the house of Renato Dolores and the garage of Ashley Sajania, crushing the parked tricycle and the victims who were then sitting around the area. The van also collided into the SUV owned by Dolores.

Domingo will be indicted for multiple homicide due to reckless imprudence, police said.

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