SABLAN, Benguet – A student died while three others were injured including the driver of a concrete mixer truck that fell into a ravine on Monday afternoon, August 1, near the Regional Rehabilitation Center for Youth (RRCY) in Sitio Payda, Barangay Bayabas, Sablan, Benguet.
The victim was identified as Jilton Hilario Acosta, 16, student, resident of Monglo, Bayabas, Sablan, Benguet, while the two injured were minors aged 15 and 17, both residents of Barangay Bayabas, Sablan, Benguet.
According to the Sablan Municipal Police Station, the incident occurred at 4:30 p.m. and was reported to the police at 6:15 p.m.
In the investigation, the concrete mixer truck registered under PHESCO Company and driven by Denver Akia Gacay, 22, passed the nearby RRCY being rehabilitated to unload concrete cement intended for the retaining wall that was under construction.
The driver did not realize that the right side of the road suddenly collapsed which led the concrete mixer to fall into the ravine approximately 10 meters deep.
The mixer truck fell sideways and hit the victim, Acosta, who was busy working on the floor of the retaining wall.
It took about an hour for the rescuers to pull the victim out from under the concrete mixer truck.
The student was declared dead on the spot by Dr. Junneth De Guzman, of the Sablan Municipal Health Office.
The driver and the two others injured in the incident were taken to the Benguet General Hospital.
Police are now investigating why there are minors working in the area.