KIDAPAWAN CITY, Mar 19 (PNA) --Fatalities on Tuesday's freak
accident involving a passenger jeepney in Matalam, North Cotabato rose to five
after three more victims died in the hospital, officials said.
Fourteen passengers out of 25 people on board a Lawin
passenger jeep are still in various hospitals in Matalam and Kidapawan City,
according to Matalam police head Chief Inspector Elias Colonia.
Two died on the spot in the freak accident that happened at
10:00 a.m. in Barangay Malamote, Matalam, North Cotabato, when a passenger jeep
from Buluan, Maguindanao, bumped the rear side Isuzu dump truck along Mlang-Matalam
highway.
Witnesses said the Lawin passenger jeep went out of control
after its brake system failed. Colonia said the victims were heading to
Midsayap to attend a Muslim wedding Tuesday afternoon when the accident
happened.
One passenger said the wedding was postponed due to the
accident since one of the passengers was the groom. He was unhurt.
Police identified the fatality on Tuesday as Hadja Zenaida
Abdulwahab and Kongan Talutawan, both from Buluan, Maguindanao.
Salahudin Baliwan, driver of the dump truck, said he slowed
down his truck upon reaching the school zone and noticed the speeding passenger
jeep through his side mirror.
"I suspect the Lawin lost its brake system and crash on
the rear of the dump truck," Baliwan told police traffic investigators.
Police said the two earlier fatalities were sitting in front
of the passenger jeep.
Baliwan remained in police custody for further
investigation, Colonia said. (PNA)
PDS/NYP/EOF
