Antipolo motorbike crash leaves 3 dead, 2 injured

A collision between two motorcycles on a blind curve on a treacherous highway left three motorcycle riders dead and two others injured just before dawn Sunday morning.

The police said not all of the riders were wearing protective helmets at the time of the crash which took place on Sumulong Highway in Antipolo City at 3 a.m.

Investigators identified those killed as Richard Campo, Israel Valerios and Jose Tabernas.

On the other hand, Johnson Nabinsido remains in critical condition while Reynante Lozada suffered minor injuries. Both were taken for treatment to Amang Rodriguez Memorial Medical Center.

According to initial reports from the Masinag Police Community Precinct, the accident happened on a blind curve on the highway.

Campo, the driver of a motorcycle, was with Valerios when their vehicle collided with another motorcycle being driven by Nabisindo who had Lozada and Tabernas as his back riders.

Campo and Valerios died on the spot while Tabernas was declared dead on arrival at a hospital.

The police said the vehicles were traveling in opposite directions when the accident occurred. They theorized that one of the motorcycle drivers could have veered into the other one’s path, leading to the crash. This, however, has yet to be verified.

The accident is the latest of several that have occurred in the last two years on Sumulong Highway, one of the roads which connect Manila to the eastern province of Rizal and cities such as Antipolo.

Just last May, two people were killed while six others were injured in a freak accident on the busy thoroughfare when a big tree fell on a passing jeepney, pinning its passengers.

Last December, eight people were killed after a dump truck plowed through a row of houses situated beside the road.

In August last year, actor Joseph Bitangcol and five others were injured after a 10-wheeler truck sideswiped their car as it was traveling on the highway.