Woman killed, 5 injured as truck rams van, jeepney

NAGA City, Philippines—A woman was killed and five others were injured after a 10-wheeler truck crashed on a passenger van and a public utility jeep (PUJ) in the town of Pamplona, Camarines Sur, on Sunday morning.

Police Officer 1 Alex Agustin, the investigator from the Pamplona police, said the fatality, identified as Miriam Darilay, of Barangay (village) Coloy-coloy, Impig, Sipocot, Camarines Sur, died on the spot, due to a head injury after the van she was riding in was hit by the truck driven by Melicio Crispino at around 10:40 a.m. in Barangay Del Rosario, Pamplona, 20 kilometers south of this city.

The injured passengers—four from the van and one from the PUJ—were immediately taken to a hospital in Naga City for treatment.

The driver and owner of the van, Ramon Casilihan, 56, the father of Karapatan-Bicol party-list spokesman Vince Casilihan, was reportedly on his way to Sipocot from Naga City with five passengers when the accident happened, Agustin said.

Agustin said that four other passengers in the van were slightly injured and were identified as Jomari Banta, Justin Rita Cervantes, Rick Joas Cervantes and Eva Montañez, all residents of Sipocot.

Also injured was Jun Flora, of Barangay Lupi, San Fernando, Camarines Sur, a passenger of the PUJ driven by Ricardo Nura.

Agustin said the truck, which was bound for Manila, caused the accident after it crashed into the rear end of the jeep that had slowed down to pick up a passenger while it was plying its usual route to the coastal town of Pasacao, the adjacent municipality of Pamplona.

He said the impact caused the truck driver to lose control of the wheel, which sent the truck lurching toward the other lane, hitting the rear section of the van where Darilay was seated.

The injured were immediately taken to the Mother Seton Hospital in Naga City while Darilay’s body was taken to the morgue of the same hospital to await word from her family, Agustin said.

Karapatan-Bicol spokesman Casilihan said by phone on Sunday that his father was not supposed to drive the southbound passenger van but was forced to do so since the driver they hired was absent.

He said that his father was well but was experiencing some discomforts.

Agustin said Crispino surrendered after the accident and was taken into custody by authorities.

A case of reckless imprudence resulting in homicide and multiple injuries was being prepared against the truck driver, Agustin added.