Driver in fatal North Cotabato accident charged

MIDSAYAP, Philippines – Police have filed charges of reckless driving resulting in homicide against the driver of a passenger van that ploughed through a group of children walking by the side of a road here on Wednesday, killing three of them and critically injuring two others.

Superintendent Reynante delos Santos, Midsayap police director, reported 29-year-old driver Patrick Dunas as telling investigators that his brakes had failed and he did not notice that his vehicle had swerved to the right, smack into the group of youngsters, because he was trying to pull free the stuck brake pedal with his hand.

Police identified the fatalities as Christian Jay Romero, 15, Donarth James Custodio, 12, and Jake Lloyd Alferez, 14.

Injured were Kenneth Silverio  and John Ryan Mendoza, all residents of Barangay (village) Sadaan, the scene of the accident.

Delos Santos said the victims were walking along a stretch of the Cotabato-Davao Highway in Barangay Sadaan when they were “bulldozed” by the speeding passenger van.

Dunas told investigators that the brake system of his van malfunctioned as he was speeding and negotiating a downhill curve. He tried to pull the brake pedal, which had gotten stuck, with his hand and did not notice the van was swerving to the right, hitting the unsuspecting victims.

Dunas surrendered to the police following the accident.