A 29-year-old mother and her two children died while four others were seriously injured when the tricycle they were riding in on their way to a vaccination site figured in a head-on crash with a speeding van along the national highway of Barangay Buliran in San Miguel town province of Bulacan on Wednesday, July 20.
Lt.Col. Jason San Pedro, San Miguel Police chief, identified the fatalities as AJ Ramos Maniquiz, 5, and Miguel Ramos Maniquiz, 7. Both were declared dead on arrival at the San Miguel District Hospital. Their mother, Monica Francisco Ramos, 29, who was transferred to a hospital in Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija also died while undergoing treatment.
Police said that Haidee Dela Cruz Francisco, 13, the driver of the tricycle, and three others, identified as Lara Ramos Capulong, 10, Vannesa Maniquiz Francisco, 22, and Jacob Elias Francisco Dela Cruz, 1, suffered serious injuries.
Based on initial police investigation, the tricycle was traversing in the west direction when it swerved to the opposite lane to evade a vehicle that was trying to overtake, causing a head-on collision with a van being driven by Angelino Capalad Paras, 61, of San Leonardo, Nueva Ecija.
Paras was arrested by the police and detained at the San Miguel police station. He is facing charges for reckless imprudence resulting in multiple homicide, multiple serious injuries, and damage to properties.