NAGA CITY—Five persons died and eight others were seriously injured when a train of the Philippine National Railways slammed into a tricycle ferrying a teacher and a group of high school students while crossing the railroad in Barangay San Isidro, Iriga City on Friday morning.
PO3 Marcia Aquiller, spokesperson of the Iriga City Police Office, said the tricycle with 13 persons on board tried to cross the railroad when it was hit by the PNR train from Manila to Ligao City in Albay at around 7:05 a.m. Friday.
He said tricycle driver Danilo Doroteo, 51, his daughter Kimberly, 13, and son Kent Lester, 12, were dead on the spot.
Aquiller added that Sheila Sapinoso, 32, a public school teacher of the Sta. Maria Elementary School in Iriga City, and John Richard Rosal, 15, were declared dead on arrival at the Rinconada District Hospital (RDH).
She said the eight other passengers of the tricycle who were seriously injured were brought to the RDH and Lourdes Hospital in Iriga City for treatment.
The eight were identified as Michael Villanueva, 15; Ronel Rodelas, 13; Loren Legada, 12; Ana Mae Baal, 12; Jessa Barino, 17; Josua Salamangui, 14; Hanson Baal, 15; and Angelo Zoilo, 15.
She said the students on board the ill-fated tricycle were from the Ceferino Arroyo Memorial National High School in the adjacent village of San Agustin, also in Iriga City.
Aquiller said the police would dig deeper on who committed the error but said they would file a case of “reckless imprudence resulting to multiple homicide and injury and damage to property” against the PNR.
She said train driver Froilan Ollero was put under police custody while an inquest was being conducted on the case at the court here on Friday afternoon.
Constancio Toledano, manager of the PNR’s Naga Station, promised to extend “whatever assistance they could give” to victims of the collision.
Junio Ragrario, PNR general manager, in a text message, said they would “take precautions” in railroad intersections but could not immediately give details.