KIDAPAWAN CITY (MindaNews/08 April) – Fourteen people, including the driver, were injured when a van plunged into a ravine in Arakan, North Cotabato on Sunday.
The vehicle, a Suzuki van with plate number KGT 652 was heading towards Davao City when the accident happened in Barangay Katipunan, Arakan.
Most of the victims were teachers at the Valencia Colleges in Valencia City, Bukidnon who were going to the Island Garden City of Samal for a “health break,” according to a report by the ABS-CBN in Cagayan de Oro on Sunday.
Barangay Katipunan chair Maximo Bragat said the driver was possibly unfamiliar with the road, which he said is accident-prone.
The victims were identified as Jessie Gabriel, Eduardo Isaganio, Joma Ganario, Maria Araceli Mendoza, Clara Eduave, Joralyn Macabudbod, Bambie Austral;
Ofelia Dilao, Abba Allambac, Leonoro Kinang, Abecia Flordeliza, Jay Ian Liam, Aquilino V Limocon, and Chona Nunez.
In Antipas, North Cotabato, a driver named Greg Batrina died instantly when his motorbike bumped into a passenger van in Barangay Kiya-ab, late afternoon on Sunday.
Reports from the Antipas police said that Batrina’s Honda motorcycle collided with a Toyota Hi-Ace van with plate number MVZ 241 driven by a certain Ramil Fajardo.
Police said Batrina “miscalculated” the road.
Fajardo was placed under the custody of the Antipas police. (Malu Cadelina Manar/MindaNews)