Poe decries Taytay truck accident which killed 6 people

A wayward truck rams into homes in Taytay, Rizal, leaving at least 6 dead and 17 injured. CHONA YU/RADYO INQUIRER

Senator Grace Poe decried Sunday the accident in Taytay, Rizal where six people, including an infant and her mother, died after a wayward truck crashed into a line of shops and tricycles on Saturday.

In a statement, Poe said she was angered to hear the news that a 10-wheeler truck on its way to Tikling crashed into the structures at Barangay Dolores after its brakes failed.

READ: 6 dead, 20 injured in Taytay truck crash

“Nakagagalit ang pag-araro ng truck sa isang hanay ng mga tindahan at tricycle sa Taytay na ikinamatay ng hindi bababa sa limang katao, kabilang na ang isang walang muwang na bata. Hindi ito basta isang aksidente lamang kung hindi kapabayaan sa pagmimintina ng sasakyan,” Poe said.

(I am angered at this accident where a truck plowed through a line of shops and a tricycle terminal in Taytay which resulted in the deaths of not less than five people, including an infant. This is not just an accident, but also negligence in maintaining the vehicle.)

Poe said the accident only proved that much remains to be done to strictly enforce safety regulations on licensed drivers of trucks and other public utility vehicles.

“Tinatawag ng pangyayaring ito ang ating atensyon sa pangangailangan sa mahigpit na pagpapatupad ng regulasyong pangkaligtasan at sa pagbibigay ng lisensyang propesyunal sa mga nagmamaneho ng malalaki at pampublikong sasakyan. Hindi maaaring ipaubaya ang manibela ng truck sa isang walang sapat na kasanayan dahil nakita natin sa naganap na ito sa Taytay ang laki ng pinsalang maidudulot kapag may nagkamali,” Poe said.

(This incident calls to attention the need to strictly enforce safety regulations, and to regulate the issuance of professional licenses to the drivers of heavy vehicles and other public utility vehicles. We cannot let drivers without enough skills to take over the steering wheel of the vehicle, especially since we saw that happened in Taytay, where the damages were primarily caused by negligence.)

Poe called on the owners of the trucking service to own up to the accident and help the families of the victims who died and were injured.

“Nananawagan tayo sa may-ari ng trucking service na harapin ang kanilang responsabilidad at tulungan ang mga naging biktima sa panahong ito ng kanilang pangangailangan. Lubos po tayong nakikiramay sa lahat ng naulila,” Poe said.

(We call on the owners of the trucking service to face their responsibilities and help those who were victims especially in these trying times. We condole with all who were orphaned by this incident.) JE