PASSENGERS of a private vehicle were injured after it collided with a truck and a motorcycle at 2:45 p.m. Saturday, January 3, 2026, along the national highway in Barangay Daanlungsod, Alcoy, Cebu.
The injured passengers, taken to the hospital by Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office personnel, were identified as Mary Eden Quianand, 46, from Cebu City; Rodrigo Ardaba Jr., 46, from Nasipit, Talamban; Kennet Lopez, 25, from Barangay Banilad, Mandaue City; and their driver, Richard Frias, 55, from Burgos Street, Barangay Alang-Alang, Mandaue City, who sustained serious injuries.
The Alcoy Municipal Police Station reported that while the vehicle was traveling along the national highway toward Cebu City, it suddenly attempted to overtake the vehicle in front and swerved into the opposite lane.
However, during the overtaking maneuver, it collided head-on with a truck.
The impact caused the private vehicle to spin and also hit a motorcycle.
The motorcycle rider was fortunately unharmed.
Police Staff Sergeant Veronico Manriquez, the traffic investigator in Alcoy, said the passengers revealed that their driver dozed off, causing him to swerve into the opposite lane, and they only realized the collision’s force at the moment of impact.
They said they had spent the night at Tumalog Falls in Oslob with family and work companions, and the driver had fallen asleep on the way home.
“Base sa saksi mismo kining driver sa motor maoy niingon nato nga at fault gyud ning Toyota Wigo kay naa ra sa iyang linya ang tuck close van, gani milikay pa paingun sa tuo ang van, pero naigo gihapon siya sa Wigo,” said Manriquez.
(According to the motorcycle driver, the Toyota Wigo was really at fault because it was in its lane; the truck tried to swerve to the right to avoid it but was still hit by the Wigo.)
The truck was carrying tires to be delivered to Dumaguete City in Negros Oriental.
The truck driver had been released after the investigation confirmed he was not at fault in the incident.
The Alcoy police have prepared charges for reckless imprudence resulting in physical injury and damage to property. (AYB)