Fifteen people have died in Balbalan, Kalinga after the jeepney they were riding fell off a ravine yesterday afternoon.
Kalinga is a province in the northern highlands of Luzon island.
The 15 victims were aboard a passenger jeepney that was hired to bring at least 40 people to the town center, RMN reported. Most of the passengers were senior citizens and were going home after claiming their pension from an ATM.
Balbalan is one of the remote areas in the province.
According to Balitambayan, 13 of the victims died instantly while two others died in the hospital. RMN reported that about 25 people were injured.
The accident reportedly happened at around 2pm after the vehicle’s brakes malfunctioned while it was heading down and driving along a curve, GMA News reported.
Rappler reported that 12 of the victims include: Benjamin Badong, Rosario Badong, Isabel Bagne, Victorina Banglagon, Helen Benito, Solidad Dammay, Eliza Amoga Dangiwa, Theresa Dulansi, Willie Gamonga, Leota Maday, Aguida Palangdao, and Lolita Salitan.
The jeepney’s driver survived the accident, ABS-CBN News said.
The government has been cracking down on old jeepneys, which they say is a safety hazard. They’ve also pushed for a modern version of the jeepney but this has been met with resistance as drivers say they’re too expensive.
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