SIX family members onboard a tricycle died in a vehicular collision with a bus in Digos City Wednesday morning, November 14.
A police report provided by Police Regional Office (PRO 11) spokesperson Chief Inspector Jayson Baria said the tricycle was traversing the Davao-Cotabato Road at about 6:20 a.m. Wednesday when it collided with a Mindanao Star Bus bearing plate number ACX 7283 driven by Fermin Macalos, a resident of Batasan, Makilala, North Cotabato.
The tricycle driver and his five passengers were killed.
They were identified as Joel Castro Jr., 32, wife Honey Grace Castro, 27, and their children Cyril Castro (7), Joana Claive Castro (4), Pedro Castro (2). The father of Honey Grace, Floro Ocdenaria, 57, also died.
The family was from Lobo, Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur.
The tricycle was headed towards Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur while the bus was traveling to the New Satellite Terminal in Digos City.
The bus driver and the bus are currently in the custody of Digos City Police Station. Charges are being readied against the driver.
Baria, in a press forum Wednesday, said the accident should serve as a reminder for law enforcers on prioritizing the enforcement of policies such as banning of tricycles from national highways to ensure the safety and security of the public since they are most vulnerable to incidents.
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) issued Memo Circular 2007-01 in 2007, which bans tricycles from “national highways utilized by four-wheel vehicles greater than four tons and where normal speed exceeds 40 kilometers per hour."
Baria said the Highway Patrol Group (HPG) is in charge of securing the national highways. But he said the HPG could not cover all national highways.
“May link naman tayo lalo na sa LGU (local government unit) natin may ma-deputized so that’s the main task of highway patrol group yan [to secure the highways] pero not all the time kaya nila ma-sustain so they need the local police,” Baria said.