One of the ill-fated passenger vans that figured in an accident in Naawan, Misamis Oriental on Saturday. Photo from Initao MDRRMO
ILIGAN CITY, Lanao del Norte, Philippines — Seven persons, six of them police officers, died in a vehicular accident in Naawan town, Misamis Oriental province at past 9 a.m. on Saturday in what could have been a break from a leadership training course in Cagayan de Oro City.
The victims were aboard a passenger van bound for Iligan City from Cagayan de Oro where they were taking part in the Public Safety Junior Leadership Course at the Philippine National Police’s regional training center.
About 19 other police officers were hurt, nine of whom incurred serious injuries and had to be transferred to hospitals in Cagayan de Oro City.
The police officers had been given privilege passes from the intensive training.
According to a police incident report, the police officers were on board two passenger vans that were trailing a cargo truck. As they reached Purok 11 of Barangay Poblacion, their vehicles took the outer lane in a bid to overtake the cargo truck.
Suddenly, the truck’s front wheel burst and the vehicle went out of control, slamming into the vans. The driver of the cargo truck was also hurt.
Disaster responders from Initao, Manticao, and Naawan towns, and Iligan City rushed to the accident scene and brought the passengers to the nearest hospitals.
However, seven were pronounced dead. They are Staff Sergeants Michael Ermac, Marjun Reuyan, Jevilou Cañeda, Eugene Lagcao, Aaron Ticar, and Arnill Manoop, and retired Staff Sgt. Anito Abapo, who was driiving one of the vans, according to an initial police report.
Apart from 19 police officers who were hurt, three civilians were also injured.
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