2 killed as pick-up slams into fruit stand in Camarines Sur

NAGA CITY, Philippines — An elderly couple was killed early Wednesday when a pick-up truck swerved off the highway in Pamplona, Camarines Sur, and slammed into a roadside store where the victims were sleeping, the police reported.

Senior Inspector Samuel Año Alforte, acting chief of the Pamplona police, identified the fatalities as Abraham Agustin Sta. Rosa, 72, and his wife, Librada Delos Santos Sta. Rosa, 72.

The Sta. Rosa couple was pinned down by the Nissan Frontier pick-up truck driven by Jay Irasga Buenavente, 39, of Tigaon, Camarines Sur, when it came to a stop on their bed inside the roadside fruit stand at 3:50 a.m., Alforte said.

He said Buenavente was driving south from Metro Manila and realized too late that he was driving straight into small structures as he reached a  curve in the Maharlika Highway in Barangay (village) San Gabriel, where small fruit stands abound close to the road.

Buenavente lost control of the truck, swerved to the left and slammed through the Sta. Rosa couple’s store, Alforte said.

Buenavente  was at the Pamplona police station Wednesday morning, talking with representatives from the family of the Sta. Rosa couple for a possible settlement, said Alforte.

The police chief said the authorities were aware of the danger posed by the roadside stores to motorists and that the Department of Public Works and Highways had met with store owners on March 25 and asked gave them to move out as they were illegally occupying the road right of way.

Alforte said the Sta. Rosa couple sold selling pineapple and other items in their store, which was made of nipa, bamboo and wood.

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