9 dead in Isabela highway crash

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The Saturday incident occurs at around 2:45 am and involves a white FAW six-wheeler truck and two Toyota Hiace vans — one white and one silver — both reportedly traveling from Baguio City to Kalinga

A deadly road crash involving two passenger vans and a six-wheeler truck left nine people dead and several others injured along the national highway in Barangay San Pedro, San Pablo, Aurora, Isabela, early morning of Saturday, July 19.

The incident occurred at around 2:45 am and involved a white FAW six-wheeler truck, and two Toyota Hiace vans — one white and one silver — both reportedly traveling from Baguio City to Kalinga.

Police identified the truck driver as October De Leon, a resident of Echague, Isabela, who is currently in custody. The ownership of the truck is still being verified.

According to the Isabela Police Provincial Office, the white van was driven by Ron Ron Onalay, with 16 passengers on board. The vehicle was registered to Jay Kenneth Dawaton Omli of Ableg, Pasil, Kalinga. The silver van had eight passengers and was driven by Oseas Calderon of Barangay Bulo, Tabuk City, who later died while undergoing treatment. The ownership of the silver van is also under verification.

8 killed from one van, priest among the dead

All eight fatalities from the silver van including Calderon, were declared dead on arrival by Dr. Ramuel C. Miranda of Manuel A. Roxas District Hospital (MARDH). The victims were identified as:

• Niches Heizle Cagayongan (Tabuk City)
• Claribel Maling (Turod Bulo, Tabuk City)
• Reymundo Benson Rumbawa (Camalog, Pinukpuk, Kalinga)
• Lorenzo Tagpao (Minagbag, Quezon, Isabela)
• Emilio Vergara (Militar Cut-off, Baguio City)
• Jennefer Rumbawa (Camalog, Pinukpuk, Kalinga)
• Jorenda Waacon (Centro, Lubuagan, Kalinga)
• Driver Oseas Calderon (Bulo, Tabuk City)

One additional fatality was reported from the white van. Reverend Victor Mangulian Jr., a 33-year-old priest, died at Family Clinic in Cabatuan around 3:40 am, according to attending physician Dr. Divine Grace Maluyo.

Among the injured were Ronald Mabalot Jr., an OFW from Lower Fairview, Baguio City; Jers Sabado of Tabuk City; Ariel Bagkin of Caloocan, Rizal, Kalinga; and driver Ron Ron Onalay.

Frankling Maling Alngang, a passenger on the silver van remains in critical condition at MARDH’s ICU as of the latest report.

Truck, vans headed in opposite directions

The truck was heading south from Roxas to Cabatuan, while both vans were northbound from Baguio to Tabuk, according to police. Investigators from the Aurora Municipal Police Station (MPS), in coordination with local responders and hospitals, conducted rescue and retrieval operations by 4:20 a.m.

The multi-agency response included personnel from the Isabela Highway Patrol Group, municipal disaster teams from Aurora and San Manuel, and multiple police stations across the province.

Based on the initial investigation, the white van was operating as a passenger van without LTFRB authority or markings.

“It was being used as a public utility vehicle despite not being authorized,” the report stated.

Isabela Provincial Director Police Colonel Lee Allen B. Bauding, along with Police Lieutenant Colonel Rimelvin D. Dungca, personally supervised the on-site investigation. Investigators are preparing documents for inquest proceedings and are continuing verifying ownership of the truck and the silver van.

A formal case build-up is ongoing, and authorities are consolidating sworn statements and evidence for legal proceedings.

The Philippine National Police has yet to determine the exact cause of the crash, but technical vehicular examinations and witness affidavits are being secured. A comprehensive progress report is expected to follow. – Rappler.com