LAND Transportation Office (LTO) Chief Assistant Secretary Atty. Vigor D. Mendoza II has ordered a 90-day preventive suspension of the driver’s license of a truck driver involved in a fatal road accident in Pampanga that left four minor siblings dead.
Mendoza said the preventive suspension of the driver’s license of a driver of an Isuzu Forward Truck will be effective until such time that the investigation of the LTO-Central Luzon headed by Regional Director Ronnie Montejo is done.
For his part, Montejo said a Show Cause Order was already issued against the driver of the Isuzu Forward truck who is a resident of Himalayan City in Negros Occidental.
Based on the report provided by the local police to the LTO-Central Luzon, all the victims were on board a kolong-kolong (a type of tricycle being used for loading of materials) driven by their father when the incident occurred at around 10:30 p.m. on November 22 in Porac-Angeles Road Brgy. Manibaug Pasig, Porac, Pampanga.
The kolong-kolong was in the middle of the road and waiting for its chance to turn left on its way home when it was bumped by the Isuzu Forward truck from behind.
The kolong-kolong was driven by Edmond Canlapan with his four children, aged 2 to 10, as his passengers.
As a result, the kolong-kolong occupied the opposite side of the road which led to the tricycle being hit by a dump truck.
Two of the children died on the spot while the two others succumbed to serious injuries in a hospital.
“Lagi po tayong nagpapa-alala sa ating mga motorista, lalo na ang mga driver ng mga malalaking sasakyan, na lubos na mag-ingat dahil mya mga buhay na nakataya sa kalsada,” said Mendoza.
“Ang buong LTO family ay nakikiramay sa pamilya ng mga nasawing bata at makakaasa po sila na tututukan natin ang imbestigasyon na ito in the interest of justice. Wala pong may gusto ng pangyayaring ito subalit kailangang may managot dahil buhay ng apat na menor de edad ang biglang naglaho sa pangyayaring ito,” he added.
Mendoza said an initial report and action of the LTO was already forwarded to the office of Department of Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista.
