TAGUM CITY/LA TRINIDAD, Benguet —A village chair from Benguet was killed while more than 20 others, mostly local officials from the said province, were injured in an accident along the Pan-Philippine Highway in Carmen, Davao del Norte on Wednesday evening, police on Thursday said.
Chief Insp. Alvin Saguban Carmen police station chief said Francisco Milo, village chief of Barangay (village) Twin Peaks, Tuba town died in the said accident. Another source, Tuba tourism officer Magdalena Niwane, identified the fatality as Franklyn Milo.
Saguban said 18 other village officials and employees from Benguet, as well as three others, sustained injuries following the accident at Purok (sub-village) 2, Poblacion around 7:50 p.m.
Another source said Nangalisan village chief Pedro Guzman and employees Catalino Basilio and John Daniel were injured in the crash.
They were part of a “Lakbay Aral (Study Tour)” delegation led by Tuba Mayor Florencio Bentrez which toured Davao City, said Benguet Gov. Nestor Fongwan.
Milo’s group was invited to visit Tagum. The mayor was not part of the said trip.
Meanwhile, initial investigation said Milo and seven other village chiefs as well as 10 municipal officials and employees from Tuba were onboard a Kia van heading to Tagum City to attend a Christian fellowship when the accident happened.
Upon reaching Purok 2, the van attempted to overtake another vehicle, however, it rammed into a Skygo tricycle with three people onboard, Saguban said.
“The impact caused the van to careen and roll four times on its side, pinning its occupants,” Saguban told Inquirer by mobile phone.
He said Milo and 21 others, including a pedicab driver and his two passengers were rushed to the Davao Regional Medical Center in Tagum City for treatment, however, the latter was declared dead upon arrival by attending physicians.
An investigation into the accident was now underway, said Saguban. RAM
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