TWO women died and four other persons were wounded in a road crash between a tricycle and a minibus in Barangay Magay, Compostela town yesterday morning.

The accident that the authorities recorded at 5:50 a.m. killed Mary Grace Tale, who hailed from Sitio Guiwanon, Compostela and Ej Halipe, 25, from Barangay Estaca of the same town.

Wounded were Michael Francisco, 28, a tricycle driver; Evangeline Davidon; Wila Flor Mollena, 24; and Siera Mae Moreno, 21, from Cotcot, Consolacion.

SPO1 Arthur Ariate, an investigator of the Compostela Traffic Commission, said that the tricycle Francisco was driving was bound for Danao, while two mini-buses occupied the opposite lane, with drivers Ricardo Rivera Jr. and Juan Davidon behind the wheel.

Rivera reportedly overtook Davidon’s bus, but this caused the mini-bus to ram the tricycle.

Ariate explained that the impact threw both Tale and Halipe on the ground, and the mini-bus ran them over. The two women were on their way to work in an export company in Danao City.

The two drivers of the mini-buses were detained.

Rivera’s bus came from Borbon, while Davidon’s began the trip in Carmen.

Driver apologizes

Rivera surrendered in Danao City after he rode a motorcycle-for-hire to avoid getting beaten up in the crime scene. He said it was an accident and asked for forgiveness from the victims’ families.

Director Ahmed Cuizon of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) 7 said he will suspend the franchise of the mini-bus that hit the tricycle.

“If there’s a fatality, we will suspend the units within the franchise and issue a show-cause order to the operator,” Cuizon said.

Cuizon also said that the drivers of both vehicles will have to undergo a drug test and road safety training.

He will also order the insurance companies involved to immediately assist the victims and their families. (JOB, EOB, HBL of Superbalita Cebu)