Skyway smashup kills cop, injures 5

A police officer was killed and five others were injured  on Black Saturday after a

sports car rear-ended a Mitsubishi Adventure on the southbound section of Skyway, authorities said.

A report from the Highway Patrol Group identified the fatality as Chief Inspector Ferdinand Rosario, 37, who was assigned at the National Capital Region Police Office Safety Battalion.

The high-speed accident involving the Adventure and a two-seater Ford GT happened shortly before noon on Saturday on the southbound lane of Skyway’s elevated section in Sucat, Paranaque City.

Luis Panganiban of the Skyway command center said the driver of the sports car identified as businessman Bardwin Co lost control of the vehicle and crashed into the Mitsubishi in front of it, which was then carrying Rosario and three other policemen.

The impact caused the Mitsubishi to swerve to the right and roll over up to seven times, Panganiban said. “The driver of the Mitsubishi (Rosario) was thrown off the vehicle as a result,” Panganiban said.

With Rosario in the private vehicle were PO1 Jun Rey Ibañez, Police Officer 1 Merlito Paliwa and Police Officer 1 Andrew Lamayo, who all suffered injuries.

Rosario was rushed to the hospital but was declared dead on arrival. Co and his passenger, his house maid Grace Alimay, were also injured.