THE entire barangay of Maria Clara in Maasin City, Southern Leyte is in mourning following the tragic death of a couple, both public school teachers, in a pre-New Year vehicular incident.
The victims, Melvin and Jean Pagangpang, residents of the said barangay, were hit by a wingvan that swerved along the national road in Barangay Ichon, Macrohon, Southern Leyte on Saturday, December 30, 2023.
"The whole Maria Clara Integrated School (MCIS) Family is in deep sorrow for the untimely demise of our very own Mrs. Jean C. Pagangpang, our Grade 1 Teacher, and our former Junior High School Head Sir Melvin A. Pagangpang," reads the statement of the Barangay school.
"What a mournful day for our barangay.
We've lost a kind, brilliant, educated couple. Too swift. Too heavy," the Barangay Maria Clara council added in a statement.
As a form of respect to the couple, the Barangay canceled its scheduled New Year's Eve revelry at the Barangay covered court.
The couple is survived by their three children.
Initial police investigation showed that the couple's motorcycle, along with another tricycle, was temporarily parked beside the national road around 9:50 a.m. Saturday.
While the couple was on the side of the road, a car was also traversing from Macrohon town bound to Maasin, and another wingvan was coming from the opposite direction.
The wingvan, bearing plate number NET3360 and driven by alias Cabante, 28, single, and a resident of Poblacion Tagbina, Surigao Del Sur, suddenly swerved, hitting the couple, the tricycle, and the passing automobile.
The couple sustained multiple injuries and were transported to a hospital for immediate medical attention.
They, however, died hours after the incident.
All vehicles involved incurred damages while the drivers of the wingvan and the tricycle, along with the driver and passengers of the private car, were unharmed, police said.
As of Saturday, the wingvan was still at the place of the incident, waiting for towing.
The driver of the wingvan has remained under the custody of Macrohon Police Station for documentation and proper disposition.
In the report, authorities cited "human error" as the cause of the vehicular incident. (SunStar Philippines)