3 killed, 16 hurt as vehicle rams into Good Friday procession in Bacolod
BACOLOD CITY—Three persons were killed while 16 others were wounded when a vehicle driven by an Indian national, who tested positive for the use of alcohol, crashed into a Catholic procession in Barangay Alangilan here at about 7:30 p.m. on Good Friday.
Lay Minister Jonel Solano, 66, died on the spot; barangay tanod (village watchman) Gilven Tanique, 62, was declared dead on arrival at the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital; while Daynah Plohinog, 21, expired at the same hospital on Saturday.
At least 13 other participants of the procession were hospitalized while three others with minor injuries were out-patients, said Police Col. Joeresty Coronica, Bacolod police director, on Saturday.
The driver, identified as Jagpreet Singh, 37, was with four other Indian nationals on board a Toyota Innova when the incident happened.
Singh allegedly tried to escape but was arrested by the police.
Coronica said Singh would face charges for reckless imprudence resulting in multiple homicide, multiple physical injuries and damage to property.
Investigators would consult with the city prosecutor on the inclusion of charges for drunk driving, he added.
Coronica said the driver’s attempt to escape was also an aggravating circumstance that would increase his penalty.
Under medication?
Singh, in an interview with reporters, said he was not drunk although he was taking pain killer medication.
He also explained that he did not have plans to escape.
Singh, who has been living in the Philippines for more than 10 years, said he tried to flee because he was afraid that people might hurt him.
He also denied driving fast and was sorry to the families of those who died and the injured.
Based on the investigation, Plohinog suddenly fainted while the procession was heading back to the Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary Parish Church, prompting Solano and Tanique to bring her to a tricycle to get medical help.
The tricycle already reached the front of the procession when it was hit by the vehicle driven by Singh.
Cut in half
The tricycle split in half with one side landing on the hood of a police patrol car at the head of the procession and hitting an Isuzu multicab.
The other half of the tricycle hit the crowd in the procession, the police said.
Because the Toyota Innova was damaged during the accident, it stopped a kilometer away from the crime scene. Singh and his companions ran away on foot and tried to hide but were apprehended.
“It would seem that the Indian national did not step on his brakes as there were no skid marks at the crime scene. The only marks were from the wheels of the tricycle so this indicates that the Indian driver did not see the tricycle,” Coronica said.
“We cannot confirm that he was driving fast but the damage to the vehicle indicated that it was moving fast, and the tricycle was split in half,” he said.
A witness said that if the patrol car was not in the area, more people would have been hit.
The Toyota Innova was not registered in the name of Singh, who has been residing in Barangay Villamonte, Bacolod City.
Police were checking with the Bureau of Immigration if has valid papers to stay in the country, Coronica said.
Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said the city government provided immediate medical assistance to the injured and burial assistance to the families of the three who died.
The mayor said he asked the city’s traffic and law enforcement units “to ensure that a strong case is filed and that justice is served.”
In grief
“It is with deep sorrow that such a tragic incident occurred. We extend our deepest condolences to the bereaved families and prayers for the swift recovery of the injured,” said Benitez.
Bacolod Bishop Patricio Buzon said the Church deeply grieved the tragic incident that happened on Good Friday.
“With sorrow, we surrender our hearts to the inscrutable and often painful unfolding of God’s plan. Like the Blessed Mother at the foot of the Cross, we stand in silence, in tears, and in the pain of these unanswerable questions. This is our Good Friday. But we hold fast to the hope that this sorrow and loss will one day open the way to an Easter grace,” he said.
La Consolacion College in Bacolod said Plohinog was a student at its School of Sciences, Liberal Arts and Teacher Education.
“Daynah was a cherished member of the LCCian community — kind, soft-spoken, and full of promise. Her quiet strength and sincere devotion to her faith and studies were evident to those who had the privilege of knowing her,” it said.
The Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary Parish and Shrine Alangilan, on Facebook, called for donations for the victims and the help of professionals who could provide psychological support, especially for those who were present and directly witnessed the incident.
