Woman in 250-ft. plunge buried, 13 others confined

By Dexter See

BONTOC, Mountain Province – A 42-year-old woman who was killed here in a vehicular accident was buried last week even as some of 13 other occupants of a passenger jeepney who injured in the accident weres still confined at the Bontoc General Hospital here.

Police said the vehicle wherein the victims were riding, lost its brakes, ran off the road and dropped 250 feet into a ravine in Sitio Amteytey, Bontoc Ili, here afternoon of May 14.

Chief Supt. Villamor Bumanglag, regional police director, identified the lone fatality as Manuela Changrapen, 42, married, a native of Barangay Mainit and resident of Barangay Guinaang, Bontoc.

The jeepney driver, Benson Agfawa, who was one of the 13 injured, told traffic probers the vehicle’s brakes failed while cruising along a downhill portion of the road.

The ageing vehicle was a total wreck after the fall into the rocky ravine.

Concerned residents were quick to rescue the passengers, who were reportedly headed for Guinaang after attending a get-together hosted by losing congressional candidate and incumbent Mayor Franklin Odsey.

A number of victims were confined at the Bontoc General Hospital undergoing medical treatment for the multiple head and body injuries.