TABUK CITY, Kalinga – Thirteen people, including nine minors, died while two others survived a traffic vehicular accident where an ill-fated sports utility vehicle (SUV plunged into an irrigation canal at barangay Bulo, here, Sunday night.
Police Col. Davy Vicente Limmong, Provincial Director of the Kalinga Provincial Police Office, identified the fatalities as Soy Lope Agtulao, 36, Judilyn Talawec Dumayon, 31, Alfred Cutit Lope, 59, Remdios Longey Basilio, 56, Jessabel Basilio Paycao, 27, Sony Puking Lope, 22, Marlo Gel Perena, 6, Seadarn Talawec Dumayom, 5, Scarlet Basilio Yacao, 3, Jeslyn Talawec Paycao, 4, Cydwin Lope Agtulao, 6, Cyan Lope Agtulao, 4 and Ezverdrick Basilio Paycao, 4 On the other hand, Limmong named the two survivors of the aforesaid incident as Edith Andiso Perez, 51, married, an employee of the city government and a resident of Purok 1, Bulanao, Tabuk city, Kalinga and Cyril Lope Agtulao, 10.
Initial police investigation showed that the SUV driven by Agtulao, a personnel of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) based in Bontoc, Mountain Province and a native of Kagubatan, Tadian, Mountain Province was heading towards the Bulo lake when it accidentally fell into the irrigation canal and was submerged in the water.
Initially, 7 females and 4 males were pronounced dead on arrival by the attending physicians at the Mejia Kim Medical Center in Agbannawag, Tabuk city. While 2 others were declared dead on arrival at the Kalinga Provincial Hospital.
Probers are still conducting an investigation on the cause of the aforesaid tragic vehicular accident.By Dexter A. See