By Nino Luces
CAMP OLA, Albay – Two died, while three others were severely injured, when an ambulance that was rushing a pregnant woman to the hospital, crashed into a tree along the highway of Gov. J.P. Fuentebella National Highway in Brgy. Ayugan, Ocampo town, Camarines Sur province on Sunday morning.
Police Major Malu Calubaquib, spokesperson of Police Regional Office 5 (PRO-5) identified the fatalities as Rhodora Cordiz Labanon, 45, midwife, and a resident of Brgy. Salvacion and Janice Hernandez Eva, 33, nurse, a resident of Brgy. San Francisco. Both were assigned at the Rural Health Unit (RHU) of Ocampo.
The pregnant woman, identified as Hanelen Serio Mendoza; her cousin Jenny Bayta, both residents of Brgy. San Vicente; and Fe Clariño, a resident of Tigaon town in Camarines Sur, were immediately brought to Bicol Medical Center in Naga City for medical treatment due to severe injuries.
Mendoza gave birth at the hospital, but the baby was also in critical condition, according to the report.
Police Staff Sergeant Reymond Joy Paaño, investigator of Ocampo PNP said that the driver Jose Dela Rama suffered minor injuries, but still complaining of back pains.
Initial investigation disclosed that at around 6:20 a.m. on Sunday, while Mendoza was being transported from Ocampo town to Naga City, the ambulance lost control due to slippery road conditions.
Paaño said that, as a result, the ambulance crashed into a tree, causing the untimely death of Labanon and Eva.