Montero Sport crushes Innova: 3 nurses dead

MANILA, Philippines–A Mitsubishi Montero Sport SUV flipped onto a Toyota Innova MPV on the C5-Ortigas flyover, crushing the Innova and killing three nurses on board the MPV. The Montero Sport crossed over to the wrong side of the road at 2:20 am Monday morning on the C-5 Flyover in Barangay (village) Ugong, Pasig City.

PO3 Cristino Silayan identified the victims as Lyn Pascua, Rose Ann Azucena Oquendo and Janine Ray Manzanida, all nurses at Salve Regina Hospital in Pasig City. They were on their way home with colleagues Jacklyn Mae Terrado and Bubbles Lapu-os who were also injured.

Silayan said the victims were in a Toyota Innova driven by Ryan Lester Yadao on the northbound lane while Luis Asistio III’s Mitsubishi Montero Sport was traveling southward when the SUV slammed into the center island, flew into the air and landed on the van on the opposite lane.

Pascua, 39, and Oquendo, 23, were pronounced dead on arrival at The Medical City (TMC) while Manzanida died at Rizal Medical Center (RMC).

Terrado, Lapu-os and Yadao received treatment for head injuries at TMC while Asistio was recuperating at RMC.

The police said that Asistio would be tested for alcohol after rescuers reportedly found liquor bottles in his vehicle.–Jovic Yee