BOLINEY, Abra – A 74-year old man died after he allegedly fell off a passenger jeepney that suffered mechanical trouble along the Abra provincial road, particularly at Batwagan, Bauyan, here, recently.
Senior Superintendent Antonio Bartolome, provincial director of the Abra Provincial Police Office, identified the victim as Isidro Palangdao Gumabay, alias Anas, 74, married and a resident of Danac East, Boliney, Abra, while the seventeen injured passengers were rushed to the different hospitals in the province for medical treatment.
Initial police investigation showed that the passenger jeepney driven by Dennis Luben Layugan, Jr., 24, married, driver and a resident of Poblacion, Boliney, Abra, was traversing the said road when the vehicle suddenly suffered mechanical trouble forcing the driver to do the necessary remedial measures to prevent the victim from falling off the ravine.
Despite the driver’s efforts, the vehicle continued to move downwards until it rammed into a tree causing the victim, who was on top of the vehicle, to be thrown off the same and bang his head and body on the pavement.
The victim was rushed to a nearby hospital but he was pronounced dead due to multiple head and body injuries as a result of the incident.
The driver was brought to the custody of the police for the filing of charges of reckless imprudence resulting to homicide, multiple serious and less physical injuries and damage to properties against him before the provincial prosecutor’s office.
By Dexter A. See