Wayward truck kills 1, hurt 31 in Kidapawan City

KIDAPAWAN CITY — Atricycle driver was killed while 31 others were injured when a wayward 10-wheeler truck swept through various vehicles and pedestrians along the national highway here Monday night, authorities said.During a flash report over DXND-AM Radyo Bida and DXDM-Happy FM witnesses said the huge truck was from Davao City and heading toward Cotabato City when it smashed several approaching vehicles near Crossing ARC, Balindong and Santol, Barangay Paco, Kidapawan City. Senior Inspector Samuel Bascon, Kidapawan Citypolice deputy director, identified the lone fatality as Charlie Candado, of Barangay Balindog, this city. Bascon said the 10-wheeler truck was negotiating the Kidapawan-Cotabato highway when its brake systemmalfunctioned at past 7 p.m. Bascon said that the 10-wheeler truck with plate card number RDL 579 driven by Jamel Wamar, 27 of Barangay Silik, Pikit, went wild after it lost its brakes while heading towards home in Kabacan town, also in North Cotabato. It first hit the tricycle with Municipal Tricycle Operators Permit Number 2-2355 driven by Saldua.The vehicle was dragged at least 30 meters away from the area in Barangay Balindog.The impact was enourmous that it killed Saldua on the spot, according to Bascon. Despite this, the truck continued its momentum and hit seven other vehicles along the highway, including a red Nissan Navarra with temporary plate number VS-1354 yellow passenger multi-cab bearing plate number KVJ283 a car a motorcycle and three other vehicles. Investigators hinted the driver and two of his helpers attempted to flee after he smashed his truck into the vehicles.But the truck fell on a cliff along the highway in Barangay Paco, also in Kidapawan City. Minutes later, the police arrived in the area and collared Wamar and his companions and locked them in jail, Bascon said. Police are readying charges of reckless imprudence resulting to homicide and multiple frustrated homicide complaints against Wamar. Injured were identified as Maria Agnes Bangkal, Grace Samillano, Jean Polangcos, Elsie Abella, Gerald Fortin, Korin Claire Hellado, Medusa Omaki, Jaycee Magala, Jill Jongko, Randy Huesca, Hyacinth Inangkili, Marycris Bukayon, Hermie Toleda, Amable Mudlong, Celestine James Sepe, Roland Belleza, Harold Belleza, Mildred Belleza, Roderico Revilla, Susana Baruela, Sophia Ybanez, Jona Mae Ybanez, Jake Mediana, Cipriano Alasaga, Raffy Santillan, May dela Cruz, Jezza Sollano,Angel Cubero, Janny Lou Hatamosa, Maria Mica Mangcao, and Jasmine Espinosa. The freak highway accident on Monday led some residents in the city to push for a speed limit along the Kidapawan-Makilala highway, which, based on records, is accident-prone. The long straight highwayfrom Barangay Balindog to Barangay Paco was descending thus vehicles velocity was higher without the driver knowing it. Two years ago, a state-owned school bus also rammed a number of vehicles along the highway when it lost its brakes while plying the route. In 2007, a wayward dump truck also smashed more than 10 vehicles along the highway in Makilala and killed eight people and injured 40 other passengers. A speed limit along this part of the national highway can, at least, minimize road accidents,” said Jake of Barangay Paco, this city. It took about 2 kilometers since the truck's brake system malfunctioned until it finally stopped when it fell off a narrow creek in Barangay Paco.