3 dead, 13 hurt in 3-way smashup

Three men were killed while 13 more people were injured when a car rammed into the back of a passenger jeepney, which then hit a taxi cab in Libis, Quezon City, at around 3:15 a.m. Sunday.

Jeepney driver Jolit Solis said he had just stopped by the side of the road to pick up a passenger on E. Rodriguez Jr. Avenue near Green Meadows when a red Honda Civic (UFZ 533) crashed into the back of his vehicle.

The impact sent the jeepney hurtling forward before it flipped over on its right side, pinning a passenger, Bryan Diano, 19, who later died of his injuries.

Also killed were the driver of the Civic identified as Alejandro Salazar, 32; and the person seated beside him, Jason Bryan Magnayon, 26; Both died on the spot.

The injured, on the other hand, included the driver of the taxi cab, Ricardo San Jose, 59; his passenger Rosalie Bonifacio, 31; and jeepney passengers Christian Ryan Caadan, 21; Evelyn Villarina, 49; Donna Mercado, 32; Aldwin Torcino, 32; Norlin Mayang, 31; Jackelyn Balabat, 20; Jose Bacareses, 45; and Jannete Bringas, 35.

They were taken to Quirino Memorial Medical Center for treatment.

Also treated for injuries were the other passengers of the Civic who were all seated in the back seat.

Jhaybee Dela Cruz, 35; Juan Carlos Rafael de la Cruz, 18; and Erdie Vergara, 24 were taken to Rizal Medical Center.

Quezon City Police District traffic investigator Police Officer 2 Renato Sunga said it was up to the prosecutor to determine who was to blame for the accident.

Solis, meanwhile, said that he was not the one at fault. “I have witnesses who can prove [that I stopped by the side of the road], not in the middle of it. It’s a three-lane road, of course, an accident is inevitable if I stop in the middle to unload or take in passengers,” he added in Filipino.