UPDATEand 6 die, 7 hurt in North Cotabato highway crash
Local News • 17:02 PM Sat Apr 22, 2017
2,862
By:
Edwin O. Fernandez, John Andrew Tabugoc, Malu Manar
The highway crash site along portions of the Cotabato-Davao highway. (Photo by DXND-Radyo Bida Kidapawan)
MAKILALA,
North Cotabato – At least sixpersons were killed and seven others
were critically injured when a cargo truck loaded with Pepsi products lost its
brake system and plowed motorists here before dawn Saturday.
The highway
crash occurred in the descending highway in Barangay Malasila, Makilala, North
Cotabato at about 5 a.m., according to Police Chief Inspector Elias Colonia,
Makilala town police chief.
Image may contain one or more people shoes and outdoor sand//scontent.fmnl4-4.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/17990800_1402579159862908_7412608873119903116_n.jpg?oh=3e99308fbe3f77cd9e209474b4feec29andampoe=597A780F The cargo
truck (PTM-750), loaded with Pepsi products, was from Davao City heading to
Cotabato City when its brake system malfunctioned.
Witnesses said
truck has been moving wayward from Barangay Kisante as it headed to Barangay Malasila
with the driver repeatedly blowing his horn, obviously to alert motorists.
Among the
fatality was the truck driver. The names of other fatalities were not available
as of posting.
Colonia said
the truck first hit three motorcycles in front of it then a woman who was at
the roadside waiting for a ride.
Image may contain one or more people and outdoor sand//scontent.fmnl4-4.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/17952700_1402579156529575_8566851072495664833_n.jpg?oh=7150428a2f5372628cf378cb80397a33andampoe=5976FB64 The truck came
to a halt when it fell on the part of the road being renovated. Broken soft drinks
bottles and plastic cases litter the crash site.
Image may contain outdoor sand//scontent.fmnl4-4.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/18033526_1402579253196232_767464867264029049_n.jpg?oh=26aa79c6376ebe4f834869580b344a55andampoe=5989224B Early this
week, North Cotabato provincial board member Socrates Pinol has passed a
resolution urging the public works office to correct portions of the highway in
Makilala he described as killer highway.
I am not an
engineer but am sure it’s the angle of the curve in that stretch of the highway
that has caused so many accidents, Pinol said in a statement. Something
must be done as soon as possible, Piñol added. (Edwin O. Fernandez)