TWO farmers died while four others were injured after a road crash at Taloy Sur Proper, Tuba Benguet Sunday evening, February 2.
Investigation showed that the Tamaraw FX carrying seven passengers including the driver was descending at a curved portion of the road, swerving to the right and bumping a Mitsubishi canter van.
Seven victims, all farmers, were identified as Cedric Dapyawen, 22, and the driver Komatso Patras Mallari, 31, both residents of Bayacsan, Taloy Sur, in Tuba.
Other victims were Vincent Banao Pacas, 23, native of Purok 3 Bulanao Centro, Tabuk, Orlando Bayusa Fermin, 47, from Kapangan, Benguet, Kerwin Kuwas Baydan,23, Melbert Patras Caligtan, 32, and Kevin Patras Fermin, 25.
Tuba Municipal Police identified the four passengers as residents of Poyopoy, Taloy Sur, Tuba.
Kevin Fermin and Caligtan died after sustaining serious injuries while other passengers are confined in the hospital for observation, responders to the incident were concerned citizen and personnel from the Tuba Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.
A report by the World Health Organization show road crash deaths at a high with 1.35 million people losing thier lives and is now a top cause of death for people of all ages.
For the last three years, the Police Regional Office in the Cordillera region recorded 13,535 cases with 6,078 logged as road crash cases which occur in Benguet blamed on human error.
Police Colonel Elmer Ragay, Benguet Provincial Police Office director, previously said the province has ingress and egress points from Asin Road, Tuba, Kennon and Marcos Highway, for road safety purposes he said there is a need for a heightened public awareness.
Ragay said “On the law enforcement side the best thing we could do is to provide police presence during rush hours, especially in accident prone areas but we cannot sustain it in 24/7 basis that is why we need the help of other stakeholders. Local Government Units to put up signages along accident prone areas to caution motorists.”