1 woman killed, over 30 injured in Tabuelan mountain

A woman was killed while more than 30 others were injured when an Isuzu six-wheeler truck fell into a ravine in a mountain barangay of Tabuelan town in northwest Cebu on Sunday afternoon.

Most of the victims were high school students who hitched a ride to the town proper for classes the next day.

The lone fatality, Nenita Avendio, 54, was sitting inside the truck’s cargo compartment like the other passengers, sharing space with  sacks of rice and bottles of soft drinks and beer.

Her husband, Armando, survived.  They were on their way to visit a relative in the next town of Tuburan.

The truck driver, Delman Zamora Llanto, told police the vehicle lost its brakes going downhill in sitio Kampatok, barangay Bongon and that despite his effort to control the steering wheel, the truck drove off the mountain road.

Police said the truck, which was delivering rice and cases of soft drinks and beer, and picking up copra, was heading to the town center in Tabuelan.

Insp. Roberto Hugo, Tabuelan police chief, said Avenido fell on a rock with sacks of rice and softdrink cases toppled over her.

Thirteen passengers with serious injuries were brought to the Vicente Sotto Memorial Hospital in Cebu City while the rest were allowed to go home, said  a security guard at the hospital, Danilo Sumayang.

It was the practice of students in the mountain  barangay to travel to town 18 kilometers away  on Sunday afternoon in time for school the next day and would stay in town until Friday.

In remote mountain villages, hitching a ride on passing trucks and heavy equipment is a routine way of  getting to town or going up the rugged terrain.

The Avenido couple were among 24 victims brought to the Juan Dosado Memorial Hospital in Sogod town by Sunday night. Nenita later died of internal bleeding.

A partial list in the Juan Dosado Hospital identified 12 patients: Armando Avenido,  Enrico Paglinawan, his wife Ligaya Paglinawan and daughter Zyrel Jane Paglinawan, 10; Victor Paglinawan, Analona Comeros, Richel Pagligaran, Emarie Beniga, Justiniana Arendail, Danilo Juntong, Freddie Dojelio and driver of the truck Rodrigo Llanto.

Tabuelan police also listed 11 patients who were brought to either Juan Dosado Hospital or Tuburan district hospital. The names on both lists could have been overlapped. The police said the number of casualties could reach more than 30.

The police list includes Renato Comeros, 33 and daughter Christy Comeros, 12, both from Lusong, Tuburan; Francisca Lagnason, 59; Darrel Tan 17; Aldrin Paglinawan, 18; all from Tabuelan; Saranel Arnado 15; Pia Angela Singson 16; Benhur Lagnason Jr. 16; all from Cabalawan, barangay Bongon; Julius Momo;  Gerllan Cinco from Kampoot, Tuburan and Juana Momo, 24, from Cabalawan.

The truck with plate number GCE 492 is owned by former Tabuelan Vice Mayor Silvestre Momo. /Jhunnex Napallacan, Correspondent with a report from Reporter Rhea Ruth Rosell