Wednesday, October 02, 2002
Mayor orders probe on Loakan road mishap
By Ramon Dacawi
"THIS is a senseless tragedy. It is unthinkable how an illegal activity like drag racing is allowed to take place in a government facility like an airport runway."
Mayor Bernardo Vergara expressed this lament as he asked the Baguio City Police Office, headed by Sr. Supt. Villamor Bumanglag, to immediately investigate the reported care race at about one o'clock Monday morning at the Loakan Airport that led to the death of three female college students and injuries to three other companions.
Vergara ordered Bumanglag to submit his report on the incident within 72 hours.
Initial reports said one of the two cars, a black Toyota Corolla bearing plate number ADJ 151, plunged into a ravine at the end of the runway resulting to the death of three of its occupants.
Vergara also asked airport authorities to tighten security around the airport to prevent similar incidents.
The fatalities were identified as Maricel Aquino, 17; Jing Jing Juan, 16 - both of San Manuel, Pangasinan and Hotel and Restaurant Management students of the University of Baguio; and Gloria Apilado, 19, of San Fernando City, La Union, who was also taking up tourism.
The vehicle's driver, identified as Aldwin Sombrito, suffered multiple injuries and was in critical condition in a local hospital.
Also injured were Raymundo Simsim and Orlando Adoque, who were reportedly aboard the other car, a white Honda sedan with plate number WAN 962.
The two escaped death when Simsim, who was driving, suddenly stepped on the brakes, causing his vehicle to spin around.
Nevertheless, it still scraped into the precipitous mountainside with its back first and stopped some 10 meters below the runway edge.
Last Monday's tragedy due to drag racing was the second reported this year. In May, two college students were also reported killed in another car race.
Initial investigation showed that the latest victims met in a local disco pub and agreed on the drag race.
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