1 dead, 4 hurt in field trip mishap
By Edu Punay
The Philippine Star 10/01/2004

A 32-year-old driver was killed while at least four grade school students were hurt when their service van was hit by a 16-wheeler truck on the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) in Parañaque City yesterday.

The group was going to Manila for an educational trip from Labo, Camarines Norte on board a Hyundai Grace van (EVG-999) when Roberto Mago, the driver, pulled over to the service lane to replace a flat tire at around 4:30 a.m.

PO3 Arthur Cortez of the Traffic Management Group said Mago had just finished changing the front left tire and about to start the van when a speeding delivery truck (UCP-110) suddenly rammed their vehicle and dragged it some five meters to the gutter.

Mago was decapitated.

"Naputol ’yung ulo at nabasag pa ’yung mukha," Cortez said.

Four of the students inside the van sustained injuries and were rushed to the Makati Medical Center. Police identified them as Rowena Samonte, Nida Nareses, Cristel Alforte and Edna de Jesus.

The incident also caused heavy traffic at the SLEX for more than an hour.

Probers said there were more passengers inside the van and may have been rushed to another hospital.

"When we arrived at the area, the students were no longer there," Cortez said.

He said the truck driver, identified by a companion as Bienvenido Sitasato of the Caloocan-based PNJ Distribution System, fled on foot after the incident.

The companion, Felicisimo Rapas, was invited to the traffic police office for questioning. He told investigators that he was also shocked by the incident, which had awakened him from his sleep.

Police advised motorists using the highway to take extra precaution when encountering engine trouble.

"Mabibilis talaga ang sasakyan dito kaya pagnasiraan ka, kailangan listo ka," Cortez said.