A military fighting vehicle that was trying to overtake a trailer truck ended up figuring in a head-on collision with a passenger van, leaving seven people dead and eight others wounded along the national highway in Manticao, Misamis Oriental, 8:30 p.m., Monday, July 17.
Police said 14 of the victims were passengers of the van, including its driver, while the other person injured was a motorcycle driver who also got entangled in the accident.
Dead on the spot Hadji Macaumbos, Rey Mancao, Siete Guimba, Jocelyn Baldoz, van driver Hadji Bangcola, and an unidentified woman.
Senior Inspector Marlo Lanioso, Manticao police chief, said passenger Nobalsa Domapo was rushed to the hospital but was declared dead Tuesday, July 18.
Eight other wounded passengers who are still recuperating at the Manticao provincial hospital were identified as Renzo Pagayon, Raima Tangote, Norhaya Ampaan, Hadji Lanto, Reham Lanto, Dimpinto Norjama, Samsodin Domapo and a nine-year old boy.
Authorities said the SIMBA APC, an armored personnel carrier of the military driven by Staff Sergeant Danny Tenezo, crashed head-on into the van driven by Bangcola and sideswiped the motorcycle.
Lanioso said a military convoy led by an army truck and four backup SIMBA vehicles were travelling from Iligan City to Cagayan de Oro City to load up on logistics supply at Laguindingan airport.
At the site of the accident, the lead car started overtaking a trailer truck while the other SIMBA vehicles followed.
While overtaking, the APC crashed into the van coming from the opposite direction.
Lanioso said the military vehicle drivers may have committed lapses when they tried to overtake at a ‘No Overtaking and Curve Lane’.
However, Lanioso said the driver of the van also apparently failed to notice the military vehicles’ signal light while overtaking.
Lanioso said Tenezo will face charges of reckless imprudence resulting in multiple homicide, multiple physical injury and damage to property.
Tenezo was detained at Manticao police station while waiting for the filing of charges.
