2 killed as truck falls into river in Toledo City, Cebu

CEBU CITY – Two persons were killed when a six-wheeler truck carrying kitchen wares fell into the river in sitio Tambis, Poog, Toledo City, some 50 kilometers west of Cebu City.

Killed on the spot were identified as truck driver Oscar Layson of Mabolo, Cebu City and truck helper Reymart Cañezal of Guadalupe, Cebu City.

P03 Benjo Fat, investigator of the Don Andres Soriano (DAS) Police substation, said the truck, owned by GFM Group of companies, came from Cebu City and was going to Toledo City when the driver lost control of the vehicle and fell into the river at around 11 a.m.

Witnesses told police that they saw the truck running in a zigzag manner, indicating that the driver lost control of the vehicle. It hit a woman before falling into the shallow river, around 15 feet below the highway.

Fat said the driver and the helper died instantly after they were pinned by the container van, which moved towards the front seats area because of the impact.
In fact, Fat said, rescuers from Carmen Copper Corporation need at least two hours before they could successfully take the fatalities out from the truck.

The woman who was hit by the truck was identified as Amelita Lapadis of Highway Bunga, Toledo City. She was treated for unspecified injuries in a hospital in Toledo City.

Fat said the wayward truck also caused a Kia vehicle to swerve and rammed a fence as the driver Marini Dela Calzada tried to evade the truck. Dela Calzada was unhurt.

Fat said they learned that the truck was about to deliver the kitchen wares to the Gaisano store in Toledo City. –Jhunnex Napallacan