The ill-fated vehicle van in Tupi, South Cotabato. Photos grabbed from IFM-RMN Facebook page
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY — Lighted candles are being offered outside the house of the Maglinte family in Greenville Subdivision of Bugo village in this city, a day after five of them perished in a vehicular accident in Tupi town, South Cotabato province on Dec. 23.
The vacationing family, aboard a Suzuki Super Carry van with two minors from Polomolok, who are their relatives, came from the Land of Praise tourism site near Mt. Matutum.
As they were going downhill, the van’s brakes malfunctioned then the vehicle swerved off the road hitting a tree on the roadside of Barangay Cebuano, a police report said.
READ: 7 local tourists dead in South Cotabato highway mishap
As a result of the impact, according to the police, some passengers were ejected from the vehicle and fell into a nearby creek some five meters deep, while others suffered severe injuries inside the vehicle.
The seven victims declared dead on arrival at Roel I. Senador Memorial Hospital were
Annabelle Maglinte , Joan Maglinte, Joel Maglinte, Duke Maglinte, Ike Maglente, Marga, 7, and Yuna, 8.
The van driver, Oliver Maglinte, was the lone survivor of the accident.