Woman grateful for second life after van accident in North Cotabato

COTABATO CITY ­­­– Second life. This was how
55-year-old Soledad Echevarria described her fate after she survived a fatal
vehicular accident in Matalam, North Cotabato last week.

Echevarria of
Barangay Dualing, Aleosan, North Cotabato is now recuperating at the Cotabato
Regional and Medical Center. She sustained
head and body injuries.

She was one of
the three who survived the worst highway mishap in North Cotabato this yearthat left
nine persons dead.

Echevarria was
seated in the middle of the car, near the right door, she recalled.

She told DXMS
Radyo Bida that she believed the driver, Brendo Singco of Pikit, North Cotabato,
fell asleep shortly before the 2:45 a.m. accident.

Echevarria recalled what transpired inside the van seconds from disaster. With the van negotiating a straight Barangay Patadon highway, Echevarriasaid she heard loud yelling and shouting of the passengersseconds before the impactfollowed by a loud bang which she said was stillfresh in her mind. She remembered she fell asleep at timesduring the duration of the trip but remained alert.

She thanked
God for giving her another life and offered prayers for her co-passengers who
perished.

The van left
Davao City at past midnight bound for Cotabato City and had a stop over in
Kidapawan City where three passengers alighted.

When the van,
a white Toyota D4D (LHM-995), rammed on a tree at the roadside in Barangay West
Patadon, Echavarria was staggered. She
fell from her seat when the door suddenly opened.

Responding
villagers pulled her out of the van until rescue units arrived.

The native of Aleosan was
sad the driver, who was unharmed, fled. Singco is being hunted by Matalam
police.

She said the incident
should serve a lesson to all van drivers that over speeding invites accidents.