Saturday, December 22, 2007 2 killed, 4 injured as minibus collides with Elf in Catmon By Mia E. Abellana Sun.Star Staff Reporter With Elias O. Baquero
TWO persons were killed while four were seriously injured when a minibus collided with an Isuzu Elf along the highway of Catmon town yesterday morning.
A still unidentified woman in her fifties and a seven-year-old boy were declared dead on arrival at the Danao City District Hospital, 20 kilometers away from the accident site in Sitio Bachao, Barangay Catmon Daan, Catmon at 11:30 a.m.
Three unidentified female passengers and the Isuzu Elf’s driver, Reynaldo Nulla, are still in the hospital for serious injuries. One of them lost her left hand.
The Mary Joanne minibus, with plate number GVM 915, was traveling from Cebu City on its way to Borbon town.
Minibus driver Jesus Pepito said the Elf was speeding and was racing against a cargo truck.
When they reached the area, Pepito claimed that Nulla tried to overtake the cargo truck.
Seeing that the Elf was already in his lane, Pepito said he did his best to steer to the side of the road to avoid hitting the Elf.
It was not enough. The Elf banged against the side of the minibus where the woman in her fifties and the seven-year-old boy were sitting.
Hospital staff identified the boy as Ryan Arnejo.
A third minibus passenger’s left hand was cut off due to the impact.
As for the Elf, Nulla and his two female passengers were also wounded.
About 10 other passengers of the minibus were also injured, but PO1 Allan Menchavez of the Catmon Police Station said they were not seriously hurt and were immediately discharged from the hospital.
The Elf came from Daanbantayan town and was delivering fish to Cebu City.
Last Thursday, two persons were killed while three were wounded when a minibus crashed into a tricycle in Barangay Inayagan, Naga.
The tricycle came from the south and crossed to another road, while the minibus was trying to overtake another vehicle.
This sent the tricycle spinning, which killed tricycle driver Ricardo Bariquit and passenger Maria Luisa Singco.
A transport leader said yesterday that tricycles should be banned from plying the highway to reduce fatal vehicular accidents.
Julie Flores, president of the Cebu South Mini-Bus Operators’ Association (CSMBOA) said that under the law, no tricycle should be allowed on the highway.
The ban is particularly important in the City of Naga and Minglanilla town, she added.
Flores said that based on their own inquiry on last Thursday’s accident, the mini-bus hit the tricycle when the latter suddenly made a u-turn.
Flores urged the Land Transportation Office (LTO) and local governments to stop tricycles from running along or on the highway.
Director Alex Leyson of the Land Transportation Office (LTO) said that reckless driving carries a minimum fine of P500. If there is injury, death or damage to property during a vehicular accident, the fine is raised to P1,500.
If the family of the victim files charges for reckless imprudence resulting to death or injury and the driver is convicted, his license will be revoked for life.
Talisay City Mayor Socrates Fernandez said that his subordinate officials are implementing an ordinance that bans tricycles from the highway in Bulacao, Tabunok and other areas.
“A lot of people violate this rule and get arrested by the traffic police,” Fernandez said.
Argao Mayor Edcel Galeos said that multicabs, tricycles and habal-habal have designated areas.
However, tricycles are tolerated on the highway because there is no other way to transport passengers from one barangay to another. (MEA/With EOB)
