BAGUIO CITY – A 65-year old female physician died while fourteen medical practitioners and staff of the State-run Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center (BGHMC) were injured when the van they were riding rammed into the center island of the Davao-Butuan highway after the driver lost control of the speeding vehicle when it overtook several vehicles en route to Tagum city Thursday morning.
Police investigators said the accident happened in Barangay (Village) Canocotan past 8 a.m.
The fatality of the said incident was Dra. Brigit Amistad Claro, 56, cardiologist and head of the BGHMC’s Department of Internal Medicine and a resident of Nangalisan, Tuba, Benguet.
The injured occupants of the ill-fated van were Dr. Virginia Mangati, 43, , Dra Eulina Lagdao, Candy Dungayao, Tess Baluran, Marilen La Paz, Michelle Suyat, Carmen Bumatnong, Clarence Clemente, Tess Abrenica, Valorie Presco, Loraine Ramos, Lea Serna and Allan Factora.
Probers said the black Hi-Ace van (AAH-492) was apparently traveling at high speed as it tried to overtake three other vehicles before it hit a concrete center island.
According to the police report, the van flipped on its side, pinning its occupants thereby inflicting injuries to the different parts of their bodies.
The victims, all connected to the Baguio General Hospital, were on their way to a “benchmarking seminar” at the Davao Regional Medical Center (DRMC) in Apokon village, Tagum City after completing their hospital observation at the Southern Philippines General Hospital.
The victims were rushed to various hospitals in Tagum City for treatment, while the driver who was not yet identify, has been placed under police custody. Appropriate criminal charges are being readied against the driver of the ill-fated vehicle.
Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan, who just left Davao City right after the tragic incident after receiving his Gawad Parangal Award from the Association of Local Social Welfare and Development Officers of the Philippines, immediately got in touch with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to facilitate the immediate transport of Dra. Claro’s remains from Tagum City to Pasay City where an ambulance will ferry her remains to the city.
Domogan was saddened about the incident, saying that the local government will try to look into whatever assistance that will be extended to the family of Dra. Claro and the other injured victims.
BGHMC insiders confirmed the fact that the 3 medical doctors, 12nurses and 3 support staff were on official business to Davao for the conduct of their regular benchmarking activities of the best practices of the hospitals which could be replicated in the government hospital in the city.
It can be recalled that sometime in February 2016, a similar accident happened in the same highway where two barangay officials and employees of the Tuba municipal government were killed when their vehicle also rammed in a concrete barrier after the driver allegedly lost control of their vehicle.
By HENT
