WHAT was supposed to be an ocular visit of the medical staff from Baguio City ended badly as the van they were riding going to Tagum City crashed in a road island where one was killed while the others were severely injured.
The accident occurred around 8 a.m. along National Highway, Purok 6-A, Barangay Canocotan in Tagum City when a black Toyota van carrying 11 medical staff from Baguio and Davao City driven by Julan Baldove, 28, crashed in the road island.
In an initial investigation conducted by the police, the black van where the victims were on tried to overtake another vehicle when there were two others in front of them.
While he was overtaking, the second vehicle also changed lane to overtake the other one, leaving them in a bad position.
Police confirmed that Baldove maneuvered the vehicle to the road island to avoid any collision with the other vehicles.
In a video posted on Facebook by Ruel Dagsangan, the black van was shown dented as it turned sideways after the collision.
The passengers were identified as Eulina Lagdao, 50, medical doctor, Virginia Mangati, 49, medical doctor, Brigida Claro, 56, medical doctor, Marilyn Lapaz, 45, nurse, Michelle Suyat, 42, nurse, Candida Donggayao, 53, nurse, Carmen Bumatnong, 49, nurse, Teresa Abrenica, 44, nurse, Valorie Presco, 40, nurse, Clarence Clemente, 52, admin assistant and Marites Baloran, 49, IT admin of Baguio General Hospital and were brought to the Medical Mission Hospital right away.
Unfortunately, Claro died around 10:30 a.m. while receiving treatment.
Claro is a cardiologist and chairperson of the Department of Internal Medicine of Baguio General Hospital. The other ten patients were transferred to Davao Regional Medical Center.
In an interview with SunStar Davao, Lorraine Ramos, 31, one of the passengers of the van, said they were supposed to be at the Davao Medical Center for benchmarking purposes.
Ramos, who sustained a head injury and had just undergone a psychosocial debriefing after the accident, said they have already contacted the family members of their fellow passengers.
Meanwhile, the vehicle they were riding was already forwarded to the motor pool, while Baldove, who had minor injuries, was now at the custody of Tagum City Police Station for proper disposition after he was discharged from the hospital.
The patients, as of this writing, were receiving psychosocial debriefing. (With reports from JCR)