Wayward truck found; driver, helper missing

KIDAPAWAN CITY -- Authorities recovered in a remote village in Makilala, North Cotabato a wayward truck that hit three vehicles along the Kidapawan-Davao highway, at around 11 p.m., Friday.

Lt. Manuel Gatus, chief of the Bravo Company of the 57th Infantry Battalion, said the 6-wheeler Isuzu forward truck, with license plate number REF 144, was found abandoned at sitio Tumbo in Barangay Old Bulatukan in Makilala.

It was Old Bulatukan chairman Arnold Arquino that gave authorities clues the truck speed towards the interior portion of the barangay.

"I was a flag man at a road construction along the Makilala-Bansalan highway when I first saw the truck speeding towards sitio Tumbo. The police from Matan-ao town pursuing the truck came minutes later after the truck. It was then that I knew there's something wrong with the truck," Arquino said.

PO1 Arthur Papas, traffic-in-charge of Matan-ao Police, said they are pursuing the truck after it hit three vehicles along the highway in Davao del Sur, at around 9:30 p.m., Friday.

Papas said the wayward truck first hit a forward truck along Kilometer 71 in Matan-ao highway, then hit a "Comboy" truck owned by Paglas Banana Corporation along Matan-ao-Bansalan road; and hit another 10-wheeler truck along the Bansalan-Makilala highway when the driver tried to evade the authorities.

Papas said the driver ignored many times their warning and proceeded towards Old Bulatukan village and hid there, together with his helper.

When the police, together with soldiers from the 57th IB, arrived in the area, they found the truck but without its driver and the helper.

Police were able to identify the wayward driver through truck owner Jimmy Sumalayan.

The driver was identified as Arante Mahinay and his helper known only in his alias as Sulayman, both residents of Kabacan, North Cotabato.

The two were heavily drunk, according to Papas.

The truck owner said he is willing to shoulder the expenses incurred by three vehicles after they were hit by his Isuzu forward truck.

The police are readying charges of reckless imprudence resulting in damage to properties and direct assault to authorities. They also found out the truck's registration had already expired in 2011.

The wayward truck is placed under the custody of the Makilala Police Office.