ATOK, Benguet – Four people were hurt after their fully loaded elf truck reportedly suffered from mechanical trouble casing the driver to lose its control until it plunged in a 10-meter deep ravine at Km 43 Balangabang, Abiang here around 6:20 pm Thursday.
Police authorities identified the wounded occupants of the ill-fated elf truck as Juanito Lonte Allan, 36, married, farmer and the elf truck driver who lives in Abas, Poblacion. Kibungan, Benguet; Brenson Waking Ababa-en, 22 years old, single, farmer, and a resident of Palina, Kibungan, Benguet; Dewey Tayan Guidawen, 25 years old, single, farmer,and a resident of Poblacion Kibungan, Benguet and Jefrence Ablaza Tayan, 24 years old, single, farmer, and a resident of Central Kibungan, Benguet.
Initial police investigation showed the elf truck bearing license plate number ZHU-522 which was fully loaded with vegetables was en route to the La Trinidad trading post when it suffered mechanical trouble while negotiating a descending portion of the Halsema highway.
The driver reportedly lost control of the vehicle until it plunged into a 10-meter deep ravine on the side of the highway.
Responding police operatives and elements of the Scene of the Crime Operation (SOCO) team immediately rushed the injured victims to the Atok District Hospital for medical treatment.