Pag-IBIG employee killed, three hurt in Negros crash

By Glazyl M. Jopson

BACOLOD CITY — A 40-year-old Pag-IBIG Fund assistant department manager was killed, while three colleagues were injured after their van struck several trees in Sitio Palao, Barangay Malusay, Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental, on Thursday.

The fatality was assigned to the Pag-IBIG Fund’s Cebu-Ayala branch.

The injured included the 59-year-old driver.

Also injured was a 32-year-old Pag-IBIG Fund employee assigned as a sales and customer support assistant at the Dumaguete branch.

The 32-year-old employee is a resident of Barangay Batinguel, Dumaguete City.

A 28-year-old female employee of the Pag-IBIG Fund’s Cebu-Ayala branch was also injured.

The Police Regional Office-Negros Island Region said the group was traveling from Guihulngan Heights in Barangay Malusay to the city proper when the van’s brakes allegedly malfunctioned as it approached a curve.

According to the driver, he immediately alerted the passengers about the suspected brake failure.

One passenger attempted to jump from the moving vehicle to avoid the impending collision, police said.

The driver eventually lost control of the van, which struck a coconut tree and several gmelina trees along the roadside.

Emergency responders transported all four occupants to Guihulngan District Hospital.

The passenger seated beside the driver was declared dead on arrival, police said.

The three injured victims remained confined at the hospital for observation.

The Pag-IBIG Fund, formally known as the Home Development Mutual Fund, is a government-owned corporation that provides savings and housing finance programs to Filipino workers.