BONTOC, Mountain Province – A 54-year old tourist died while five of her companions were injured when their Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) plunged into a 60meter deep ravine after colliding head on with a Tamaraw FX along the Bontoc-Banaue Road, particularly at Barangay Bayyo, here, Friday afternoon
Police authorities identified the fatality as Charity Vicente, 54 and a resident of Silang, Cavite.
The incident was reported to the authorities by a concerned citizen who happened to have witnessed the aforesaid incident.
Personnel of the Bontoc Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO), PDRRM Council and Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) Bontoc together with residents of Bayyo immediately responded to the incident.
According to the result of initial police investigation, a Black Montero Mitsubishi driven by Hector Araña, 64, and a resident of Montalba, Rizal was traversing the Bontoc-Banaue Road when it bumped a Blue Toyota Tamaraw FX van. The FX was driven by Jocel Ducammol Cuting, 36, construction worker, and a resident of View Point, Banaue, Ifugao.
The Montero which came from Cavite and bound to Sagada, Mountain Province had six passengers. The FX van meanwhile was bound to Banaue coming from Bontoc.
The Montero occupied the opposite lane and bumped the driver’s side door of the FX. Araña lost control of the Montero and the vehicle plunged into the 60-meter ravine.
All the victim were rushed to the Bontoc General Hospital (BoGH) but one of them died while undergoing close medical supervision in the said health facility.