Biliran road mishap kills 15

CEBU CITY (Updated) — Fifteen people on their way to a wake for a dead clan member were killed when their speeding truck lost its brakes on a downhill road, smashed into a cement barrier and flipped over in Biliran province, Sunday morning.

Chief Inspector Wilfredo Gervacio, Biliran police office duty officer, said the victims, mostly family members, were onboard an Isuzu Canter-type truck, when it lost its brakes and fell into a ditch in sitio Atay, Barangay Cabibihan.

Caibiran Mayor Eulalio Maderazo said many of the victims, including children, were hurled off the truck or crushed underneath it.

Relatives traveling separately on two motorcycles saw the truck roll over and called police.

"The impact was so strong some of the passengers were thrown off the truck," Maderazo said by telephone, adding that provincial officials would provide coffins and financial help to the impoverished families of the victims.

He said most of the passengers were members of a dead woman's clan and were traveling to attend her wake in Caibiran in mountainous Biliran, about 500 kilometers (310 miles) southeast of Manila.

Gervacio said 13 of the truck's occupants died instantly, while another was pronounced dead at the Biliran provincial hospital.

Those who died on the spot were identified as Honoria Regir, Lolita Yagon, Renato Escosis, Julito Yagon, Marianito Areglo, Neil Rosete, Anthony Montiadora, Lito Cabalquinto, Juanita Regir, Manilyn Rosete, Josephine Rosete, Junalyn Rosete, and Darwin Rosete.

The victim who expired while undergoing treatment in the hospital was not immediately identified.

Gervacio said the injured passengers were Cornelia Montiadora, Barangay Villa Caneja chairman; driver Nilo Rosete, Antonio Rosete, Ben Fortuna, Raul Montiadora, Jennifer Callao, Ellen Areglo, Renalyn Escosis, Alicia Escosis and Gerry Areglo.

Radio dzMM report said, however, that the driver, Nilo Rosete, also died in the accident.

Many accidents in the Philippines are blamed on poorly maintained vehicles and roads, ill-trained drivers and weak law enforcement. (AP/PNA/Sunnex)