COTABATO’S DAY OF GRIEF

The scene that I had feared to see in so many instances in the past as passenger vans traveling at break-neck speed made dangerous over-takes and swerves in the national highway occurred yesterday as a van filled with nursing students rammed a passenger jeep killing several of its passengers.

It was a day of grief for the province of North Cotabato.

The reports on the number of fatalities could not yet be ascertained as the Philippine Daily Inquirer reported that 5 were killed while Bombo Radyo Philippines said there were 7 dead.

What was clear was that the van which came from Midsayap, North Cotabato was carrying nursing students skidded as it made a dangerous pass near the bridge between Barangays Nalapaan and Takepan, Pikit.

Here is the Philippine Star report:

COTABATO, Philippines (Xinhua) – At least five people were killed and ten others got injured in a road accident in North Cotabato this afternoon, local police said.

According to Jordaine Maribujo, the police commander of Pikit, North Cotabato, the accident involved a passenger van, a military truck and a passenger jeepney along the national highway in Pikit.

Maribojo said the passenger van was carrying nursing students on a field trip when it collided head-on with the jeepney. On the other hand, the third vehicle, an Army truck which was following the jeepney when the accident happened, rammed on the jeepney.

Maribojo said four of the fatalities, including two pregnant women, died on the spot, while the other was declared dead on arrival at the hospital. The injured were rushed to the nearby hospital as well, he added.

I will update followers of this page as the day unfolds today.

But I am sharing with you the photos in the accident site taken by John Pagaduan yesterday.