Newsbriefs

Puffer fish meal kills 6

NAGA CITY—Six persons, including three members of a farmer’s family in Barangay Bolod in San Pascual, Masbate, were found dead Thursday night after supposedly eating puffer fish, police said yesterday.

The bodies were brought to the San Pascual rural health office for autopsy, Senior Supt. Heriberto Olitoquit, acting Masbate police director, said in a text message.

He identified the victims as Pascual Ello, 77, a farmer; his wife Sonia, 70; son Mahanitoy, 35; and close relative Vicente Hanili, 18; Catalino Esplana, 60; and Eden Bello, 65.

San Pascual, which is one of two towns in Burias Island, is 174 kilometers from Masbate City. Jonas Cabiles Soltes, Inquirer Southern Luzon

GENERAL SANTOS CITY

Road crash kills 13

A VAN crashed into a trailer truck in a town in Sarangani province, killing 13 persons, late Thursday, authorities said.

Reynaldo Constantino, mayor of Malungon town where the accident happened, said the van, which was converted into a public utility vehicle, was bound for Davao City and traversing the national highway in the town when it crashed into the rear of the truck that was parked by the roadside.

Constantino quoted police as saying the van carried 18 passengers when it crashed into the truck.

Twelve of the passengers died on the spot, said the mayor, quoting a police report. The thirteenth fatality died in a hospital. Two of the dead were children. Aquiles Z. Zonio, Inquirer Mindanao