Truck rams into house killing senior citizen, injuring three others

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – A senior citizen was killed while three others, including his nephew and niece, were wounded after a truck loaded with sugarcane rammed into a house in Barangay Guintubhan, Isabela, Negros Occidental last Monday.

Killed in the accident was Eduardo Malabon, 66.

Wounded were Malabon’s nephew Ariel, and 15-year-old niece, and truck helper Dan Plohinog.

Police Lieutenant Dante Balenario, deputy police chief of Isabela Municipal Police Station, said a truck driven by 37-year-old Erniel Terol overtook a tricycle on its way to Binalbagan town.

But Terol alleged that when he was about to go back to his lane, another tricycle overtook him and stopped in front of the truck to unload some passengers, Balenario said.

Balenario said that Terol tried to evade the tricycle, but his driven truck encountered mechanical trouble.

Terol then lost control of the truck after one of its wheels deflated, causing him to swerve the vehicle into a house owned by Evelyn Malabon.

The Malabon victims were sitting outside the house when the accident happened.

Balenario said the truck ran over Eduardo, while his two relatives suffered minor injuries.

It took about an hour for rescuers to remove Eduardo under the truck because they have to clear the area first with sugarcane, he added.

Balenario said that Plohinog is confined in a hospital and will be transferred to another hospital here.

Evelyn’s house was damaged, he added.

Balenario said that Terol was released from jail yesterday after the lapse of the reglementary detention.

Terol and his employer offered to extend financial assistance to the Malabon family, but they refused as they are still undecided whether to file a case or not.