An 18-year-old high school student was killed while five of her schoolmates were injured after they were accidentally rammed by an Army truck inside an eatery in Carmen at past noon on Wednesday.
The fatality, identified as Rodamae Niere, 18, a student of the Katipunan National High School was still rushed to the Cong. Simeon Toribio Memorial Hospital in Carmen but was declared dead on arrival, said Senior Staff Sgt. Alberto Cabahug of the Carmen Police Station.
“Nangaon ni sila tanan sa carinderia kani sa Rodamae maoy naipit sa ilaw’m sa [truck],” he said.
Five of her schoolmates were injured and were rushed to the Governor Celestino Gallares Memorial Hospital in Tagbilaran City.
The victims were identified as Rhea Mae Garcia, 18; Jomel Sarmiento, 18; Mary Grace Bunao, 18; Alyssa Amil, 18; and Nelson Doroy, 18, who was severely injured.
“Kaning usa, si Nelson Doroy, naputlan og tiil,” said Cabahug.
According to Cabahug, the brakes of the Army truck which was travelling from Camp Rajah Sikatuna in Carmen and was headed towards Batuan malfunctioned causing the vehicle to slam straight into the eatery owned by one Pedy Rejas.
The vehicle was supposed to make a turn along a sharp curve but instead overshot from the highway and barreled into the eatery in Barangay Katipunan.
The victims were eating when they were hit by the truck which was driven by Private First Class JR Dela Torre, 24, of the Philippine Army’s 47th Infantry Batallion.
Dela Torre was arrested after he immediately surrendered to police following the incident.
He was uninjured while six of his passengers, all soldiers, were also unharmed.
Meanwhile, the Army truck has been transported from the scene of the accident and placed under police custody. (AD)