Beach outing ends in road tragedy

TAGUM CITY—A beach outing turned tragic for a family when the vehicle they were riding careened off the road and slammed into a telecommunications tower in Monkayo, Compostela Valley, on Sunday night, killing six people, police said on Monday.

Four people were killed instantly while two others died upon reaching the hospital, said Insp. Mervin Montecillo, deputy chief of Monkayo police chief.

Montecillo identified the fatalities as Fe Monares, 40, and her daughters Nikki, 16, and Khea, 14; Ronald, 39, and Rhona Mae, 14, all surnamed Anghad; and Kenneth Mascariñas, 14.

Four others, including the driver, Nilo Mascariñas, suffered injuries and are being treated at a local hospital.

The victims were riding in a van from the Island Garden City of Samal in Davao del Norte, according to Police Officer 2 Leo Montejo of the Monkayo police.

Montejo said the van was negotiating a curve along a stretch of the Davao-Agusan highway in Purok Dao, Banlag village, when the accident happened at 9:45 p.m.

“Apparently, the driver fell asleep behind the wheel, causing the vehicle to swerve and ram into a post of Globe Telecom along the roadside. The vehicle overturned, pinning most of its occupants,” Montejo told the Inquirer by mobile phone.

Charity Español, a relative of the victims, said her family was shocked and devastated by what happened.