Death toll in road mishap rises to 5

Saturday, January 22, 2011

TWO of the critically injured persons on Thursday's head-on collision between a 10-wheeler truck and a passenger jeep at Tablon highway died in the hospital, bringing the death toll to five.

Police identified the latest fatalities as Maritess Butron, 42, of Upper Agusan, and Ralph Buyante, 21, of Tablon, both in Cagayan de Oro City.

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Those who died earlier were Maryjane Jinky Abay-Abay, 41, a resident of Purok-2 Villa Trinitas, Bugo; Hilda Olape, 53, of P-4, Tablon; and a certain Eula Coñales.

On Thursday, doctors declared Abay-Abay dead on arrival at the Puerto Community Hospital (PCH) in Barangay Puerto. Olape died three hours later in the same hospital, while Coñales was declared dead on arrival at the Northern Mindanao Medical Center (NMMC).

Other victims still recuperating at the Capitol University Medical City (CUMC) are two-year-old Ashlee Ferrer of Zone 10 Cugman; a certain Jocelyn Simbolas; Dereck Ephram Butron, 6; Jocelyn Menuro, 18, and Adrianne Lago, 18, both of Villa Trinitas, Bugo; Melita Macabuac, 36, of Zone 3, Bugo; Lalaine Ching, 17, of Zone 2, Tablon; Melanie Mayoan, 19, of Purok 7, Villanueva, Misamis Oriental; Loujean Romayo, 18, of Cugman; Mae Theresse Sanchez, 19, of Villa Trinitas; Francis Jay Abay-Abay, son of Maryjane Jinky; Jerg Fermin Maturan, 18, of Villa Trinitas, Bugo; and Jessie Balaba, 30, of Yacapin Extension.

Balaba was the driver of a Bugo liner passenger jeepney.

Four patients are still recovering at the NMMC. They were identified as Ismael Ubing and Awal Makatanao, both of San Lazaro, Agora; Jennifer Gaid, 40, of Zone 10, Cugman; Reynaldo Malacay, 18, of Tablon; and Clarisse Mae Delfin, 7, who was subsequently transferred Friday from the CUMC.

The jeepney driver's assistant, known as Dario Jurani, 23, of Gusa, was sent home earlier for minor bruises on their lower left knee.

PO2 Noel Perpetua of Cugman police station said Roy Montecalbo, driver of the 10-wheeler truck surrendered to the Cugman police station on Friday afternoon.

He said a police officer Rham Camelotes escorted Montecalbo to the Cugman police station.

Perpetua also said that Montecalbo was the assigned driver of the truck.

Montecalbo denied that he was drunk when the accident occurred.

Perpetua said the police are filing a case of reckless imprudence resulting to multiple homicide and multiple serious physical injuries against Montecalbo. (LSM)