9 dead in Ecija, Ifugao Cagayan road mishaps

University teacher, mayor’s sec. killed in Lamut accident

Five persons died while another was seriously wounded when their pickup truck rammed two trees in Aliaga, Nueva Ecija on Monday even as two persons were killed when a Toyota Hi-Lux owned by Oceana Gold Corp. based in Didipio, Kasibu, Nueva, Vizcaya figured in an accident in Lamut, Ifugao on Wednesday.

In the Aliaga incident, John Bryan Lopez, 35; Marvin Jimenez, 24; Joel Calderon, 21; Estelito Mendoza, 20, and Sherwin Almazar, 20, were declared dead on arrival at the Aliaga Rural Health Unit, while truck driver Romeo Almazar, 25, was also rushed for treatment.

The victims were headed for Quezon town when they figured in an accident in Barangay Purisima at around 1:15 a.m., according to Nueva Ecija police director Senior Supt. Manuel Cornel.

Cornel said the vehicle was traveling along the Aliaga-Quezon Road when it hit the camachile and coconut trees.

Meanwhile, two seamen died while another was injured when their car slammed into a mango tree in Aparri, Cagayan on Monday.             

Alvin Karl Castillo and his cousin Roland Urbanoza died at the scene while their companion, Paul Michael Ugale, was rushed to a hospital for treatment.

Case investigator Senior Police Officer 1 Florentino Usita said Castillo lost control of the wheel as they were traveling in Barangay Toran.

The victims reportedly came from a drinking session and were headed home when their Nissan Sentra figured in an accident at around 2:30 a.m.

In Lamut, Ifugao, two persons were killed when a  Toyota Hi-Lux owned by Oceana Gold Corp. based in Didipio, Kasibu, Nueva, Vizcaya and driven by Esteban Bulahao Bagiw, 45, employee and resident of Hapid, Lamut, lost control of the vehicle.

A police report said the incident happened about 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, here along Hapid Road, Sanafe. 

Police said the driver came from Solano, Nueva Vizcaya heading towards Hapid, when he let in five passengers who were waiting for a ride to Hapid at HAPTODA terminal in Poblacion East.

Along the road, the driver lost control of the vehicle when it hit an elevated portion of the road causing it to turn upside down. As a result two of its passengers were pronounced dead on arrival at nearby hospital due to severe head injuries.

Fatalities were identified as Roselyn Malingan, 28, teacher of Ifugao State University and Wrechelle Hoggang Valenciano, 33, secretary of the mayor’s office of Lamut.

Injured were Lalaine Canlas Malingan, 24, Lamut health employee, who sustained head and leg injuries and was brought to PLT Hospital in Solano and Willaine Dango Tayaban, 24, IFSU employee, who was brought to Dela Cruz Medical Clinic here for abrasions.

Pelita TalaroDango, 55,  Lamut resident along with the driver was unhurt. Bagiw is now under custody of Lamut police. – With reports from Ric Sapnu and Raymund Catindig