Baby dead after van rams truck in Tuburan town

A family trip to attend a fiesta in Bogo City turned into a tragedy when the van they were riding in rammed a parked truck along the national highway in Tuburan town, northwestern Cebu.

Kesh Andrei Compacion, a four-month-old baby girl, died in the crash while 12 other passengers were injured, two of them with serious head injuries.

Police said that the baby was held by her mother who was seated in the front seat of the van driven by her husband.

“The way I looked at it, the sun’s glare made it difficult for the driver to notice the parked truck, said Insp. Florendo Fajardo, Tuburan police chief.

Fajardo said the parked truck occupied a large portion of the outer lane of the highway.

head injuries

Merlito Sonedo, 54, and Nida Salodar, 65, sustained severe head injuries. They were brought to Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center for treatment.

The others with minor injuries were the van’s driver, Richard Compacion, and his passengers Leonessa Milmil, 62; Esteban Presbitero, 62;  Presbitero’s five- year-old grandson, John Davi; Limbert Sungkip, 2;, April, Sungkip, 2;, Matt Compacion, 3; Joan Prisbitero, 33; Letecia Espanya, 46; and Shara Punduyo, 5.

The van came from Balamban town and was cruising along Tuburan highway when the accident happened.

Police said the van had 25 passengers when the accident happened./Correspondent Joy Quito