DAVAO CITY — Seventeen people were burned to death when a passenger van and a dump collided in a highway in Barangay Luhong, Arakan town in Cotabato province at around 12:30 in the afternoon on Monday.
The van just left Antipas town en route to Kidapawan City when the incident happened at around 12:25 noon on a Holy Monday.
Antipas police chief Police Major Godeofredo Tupaz II said the collision between the HOWO cargo truck loaded with sand and gravel with license plate MAD 8703 driven by Dumapias Nasiad and a Hi-Ace van (MWB911), driven by Mark Anthony Bunda triggered the tragic incident.
Bunda and 16 others were burned to death when the van flipped twice, plunged into the road canal and the fire.
Tupas said all the van passengers perished in the mishap.
In an interview with dxND Radyo Bida in Kidapawan City, Tupaz said they are still investigating what triggered the collision, “so far 17 are confirmed dead,” Tupas declared.
Castro Verdeblanco of Antipas municipal disaster risk reduction and management office described the area as accident prone.
Some of the passengers were farmers on their way to Kidapawan to receive to receive assistance from the government.
Tupaz said the casualties are mostly beyond recognition as they bodies were charred .
But two hours after unverified reports indicated that the van passengers as posted by some social media users and Radyo Bida, a catholic radio station based in Kidapawan North Cotabato, include (Note: the names are subject to police validation):
- Perseveranda Balolong, a school principal and her husband Ernesto;
- Mark Anthony “Nonoy” Bunda, the driver of the Toyota Utility Van
- Mother and child Irish and Vince Lopez;
- Mother and child Shirley Pojas and Coco Pojas
- Kimberly Shaine Padernal Armada, 20 years old 3rd year nursing student;
- The list of also include Mary Grace Aaron, Xian Hillanelay, Jenevive Vicente, Kimberly Shane Armada, Russel Suan Jr., Mary Jane Lopez, Rosario Reyes and Edwin Naciad, driver of the dump truck from Digos City, Davao del Sur.
Authorities are still verifying the identities of other casualties said Colonel Gilberto Tuzon, the provincial police director of Cotabato province.
