The Philippine Online Chronicles

Ten persons were hurt, four of them seriously injured, after a wayward 10-wheeler truck plowed into a passenger jeepney and several other vehicles on Sumulong Highway in Antipolo City Thursday morning.

According to investigators, the incident happened at around 8:30 a.m. on a downhill portion of the highway near Francisville Subdivision, Barangay Mambugan, Antipolo. Truck driver Rafael Villabrosa said he lost control of the brakes and rammed into 13 vehicles.

“The driver was unable to control the truck so it plowed into a parked jeepney, then it hit a Toyota Vios, then a Kia, and then an aluminum van, and so on. It happened over a kilometer-long stretch of road,” said investigator Police Officer 2 Robert Ganga.

Some bystanders on the side of the highway were also hit by the speeding delivery truck.

Meanwhile, passengers of the public utility jeepney (PUJ) blamed their driver for the accident. According to some of them, the driver Rafael Esperos was drunk and that he was chatting with some of his passengers while driving so that he slammed into the delivery truck.

“Lasing daw ang driver at nakikipagkwentuhan daw, sabi ng pasahero...sumalpok siya sa truck ([According to the passengers,] the driver was drunk. He was also chatting with some of his passengers and then he hit the truck),” said Police Officer 1 Jimmy San Antonio.

The victims were brought to the Amang Rodriguez Medical Center in Marikina City. The victims were identified as Crisanto Orambao, 43; Mary Orambao, 42; Rogelio Almogue, 57; Roderick Almoguera, 18; Lourdes Morales, 28; Nanette Altanetos; Noe Non; Liezl Altarejos; Arturo Almoraje; and Dionisio Almoguera.

Last month, motorist Tomas Antiawan went against the traffic flow on EDSA, Quezon City, and rammed into more than 30 vehicles, injuring three personnel of the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA). Antiawan, who identified himself as a former soldier, said he went against the flow to counter the traffic jam because he was in a rush to to get to Camp Crame.

Antiawan was charged with reckless imprudence.