LA TRINIDAD, Benguet — Four persons died while eight others were injured when a private van fell off a 12-meter ravine at Sitio Guesset, Bokod, this province.
Senior Superintendent Lyndon Mencio, Benguet Provincial Police director, said on Friday that the incident happened at around 8 p.m. Thursday.
Mencio, in an initial information to PNA, identified the fatalities as Gemalyn Lorenzo, 28 of Ucab, Itogon; Antonio Antero Bulay, 65 of Dadaay, Alilem, Ilocos Sur; Julie Valencia Umba-as, 52, with no known address.
All three died on the spot while Alfredo Bulay, 80, also of Alilem, Ilocos Sur, was pronounced dead by attending physicians of the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center.
The injured who were also rushed to the same hospital in Baguio City were identified as Jeralyn Peralta Sab-it, 30; Nelly Joy Yamoyam Soriano, 61, both from barangay Loakan, Baguio City; Julius Binay-an, 43; Ela Sab-it Binay-an, 2, both of Magsaysay Avenue, Baguio City; Fe Consuelo Soriano, 34, of Lower Kitma-Bakakeng, Baguio City; Arsenio Lorenso, 60, of Ucab, Itogon and Corazon Binay-an Bulay, 63, of Alilem, Ilocos Sur.
Joseph Gabino, 47, of Barangay San Vicente, Baguio City, driver of the ill-fated vehicle was also injured.
Police said six of the victims were already discharged after undergoing check-up while two opted to remain in the hospital for further monitoring.
Initial police investigation showed that the victims, who came from Baguio City, were en route to Madela, Quirino province to attend a family reunion and a wedding when the incident happened.
The driver of the van, a Nissan Urvan with plate number NV350, told police investigators that they were descending on a sharp curve portion of the road when he lost control of the vehicle and fell off the ravine. **Primo Agatep /PNA
