TACLOBAN CITY -- A father and his three-year-old son died, while 14 others on board a pickup truck were injured after the vehicle failed to turn on a curve, and instead fell to the side of the road along the national highway in Brgy. San Roque, Llorente, Eastern Samar recently.
Lt. Ruben Pascual Caspe, Llorente Police chief on Monday (May 23), identified the two casualties as Randy Palce, 32, who died on the spot, and his 3-year-old son who was declared dead on arrival at the Llorente Community Hospital.
Case investigator corporal Anthony Campo said that the group came from Sulangan, Guiuan, Eastern Samar after attending what was supposed to be the baptism of the victim's one-year-old child.
They were returning home to Maydolong, Eastern Samar after they were rejected by the church for failing to inform them of their plans.
While on their way home, the pickup truck carrying 16 individuals failed to maneuver in a curved portion along the national highway.
It ran towards the side of the road and only stopped after hitting an electrical post.
The impact threw most of the back riders beside the road. The driver, Palce, was trapped in the driver’s seat and died on the spot.
Most of the victims were brought to the Llorente Community hospital but were transferred to the Borongan Doctors Hospital for further medical treatment.
The driver’s wife was brought to a hospital in Tacloban City since she was severely critical.
As of press time, only two remain at the Borongan Doctors Hospital and three others were referred to a hospital in Tacloban City, while the rest of the 14 passengers were already discharged.