LEGAZPI CITY—Six people (6) were killed while fourteen (14) others were wounded on Friday, Jan. 27, in a road accident in San Rafael, Castilla, Sorsogon.
The accident happened around 3:45 p.m. when the driver of a passenger jeepney tried to evade a bumpy portion of the road but lost control of his vehicle causing it to hit a truck which was coming from the opposite direction.
All the casualties were jeepney passengers. Because of the head-on collision, six of the passengers were dead on arrival at the Castilla District Hospital.
- Erik Dino Deonida, 19 years old, San Roque, Bacon District, Sorsogon City
- Karen Jamisola Maquiñana, 45 years old, a public school teacher, resident of Brgy. Talisay, Sorsogon City
- Maribel Lomerio Pardillo, 45 years old, Brgy. Cumadcad, Castilla, Sorsogon
- Heidy Locsin Albao, 58 years old, widowed, resident of Brgy. Buenavista, Castilla, Sorsogon
- Amparo Candia Bajaro, 50 years old, married, resident of Brgy. San Isidro, Castilla, Sorsogon
- Janelle Abarientos, 17 years old, resident of Brgy. Cumadcad, Castilla, Sorsogon.
Fourteen more are wounded including the jeepney’s driver and are now being treated in the same hospital.
- Merly Abarientos
- Antonio Marco, 65 years old, resident of Bucal-Bucalan, Sorsogon City
- Muhammad Aiman, 35 years old, married, resident of Brgy. Cumadcad, Castilla, Sorsogon
- Arjay Desuyo, 23 years old
- Richele Lasay Destura, 45 years old, married, resident of Brgy. Balogo, Sorsogon City
- Nida Habulan Peralta, 45 years old, married, resident of Brgy. San Isidro, Castilla, Sorsogon
- Rose Dame Diesta, 23 years old, resident of Brgy. Cumadcad, Castilla, Sorsogon
- John Juris Valle, 20 years old, resident of San Rafael, Castilla, Sorsogon
- James Lorence Marigundon, 15 years old, resident of Brgy. Sogoy, Castilla, Sorsogon
- April Habana Gojo, 20 years old, resident of Biriran, Juban, Sorsogon
- Erica Joy Carillo, 22 years old, resident of Brgy. Pangpang, Sorsogon City
- Kayle Mae Castro, 20 years old, resident of Brgy. Sampaloc, Sorsogon City
- Alia Desonia, 19 years old, resident of Brgy. Sampaloc, Sorsogon City
According to the Castilla Municipal Police, the jeepney was driven by 53-year-old Rodolfo Anoevo Licup Jr, a resident of Sorsogon City and is being treated at Sorsogon Provincial Hospital. The truck was driven by 51 year old Marlon De Leon Lorenzo, a resident of Brgy. San Vicente, Gapan City, Nueva Ecija. He came from Sorsogon City and was en route to Legazpi City.
The area is considered to be accident-prone. According to Edgar Ardales Jr., the Head of the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO) Castilla, there are several sharp curves in the area.
“Una siyempre, probably may mabilis na sasakyan. Second, curve line ‘yon, so ibig sabihin pwedeng dahil nagmamadali sila or hindi nila…nakakasalubong nila and or kung mabilis sila at wala naman silang kasalubong talagang delikado. Pangatlo, as of this time, ngayon na observe ko na may konting mga lubak talaga doon may for repair… I mean may lubak talaga doon na kailangan tapalan,” Ardales stated.
MDRRMO Castilla is reminding the public especially the drivers to reduce their speed when driving along the area to avoid further accidents. They also plan to increase and expand different signages in the said area.
Photo: Job Baeza