2 are killed, 16 injured as jeep rams parked truck

CEBU CITY—Two persons were killed while 16 others were injured after a jeepney rammed into a parked dump truck on Friday evening.

The fatalities were identified as Rosemarie Bangkok, 44, and Laarni Distaho, 24, both from Barangay Don Andres Soriano (DAS), Toledo City.

Bangkok and Distaho were pronounced dead on arrival at Toledo City District Hospital, said SPO2 Lorenzo Mahilum, investigator of Toledo City Police Station.

The injured passengers were transferred to South General Hospital in Naga City and Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center in Cebu City.

Mahilum said that the jeepney came from Poblacion Toledo City and was bound for Barangay DAS at past 7 p.m. on Friday. The jeepney rammed into the dump truck, which was parked beside the road, in Barangay Magdugo.

The dump truck, which was carrying sand and gravel, was heading for Cebu City, Mahilum said.

Mahilum quoted jeepney passengers as saying Edelmar Alister, their driver, was speeding. Alister, however, said he did not immediately see the dump truck because bright lights from another vehicle briefly blinded him.

Alister is detained and is facing criminal charges.