Man dies in three-vehicle smashup in Parañaque

By Jaymee T. Gamil
Philippine Daily Inquirer

The lack of street lamps and vehicular warning signals is being blamed for a three-vehicle collision that left a man dead in Parañaque City before dawn on Tuesday.

Truck driver Mario Gonzales, 48, of Cabucbucan, Rizal, Nueva Ecija province, was pinned to death inside his Isuzu Elf van after it got sandwiched between another delivery van and a taxi on East Service Road, Barangay San Martin de Porres, at around 4:50 a.m.

It all started when the driver of the second delivery van, Alexander Bucayan, 29, of Antipolo City, and his two helpers, decided to stop in the middle of the road for wheel repairs.

Gonzales’ vehicle, then with a cargo of frozen meats and being driven by his assistant Joffrey Sumalili, 25, of Calamba, Laguna, tried to maneuver past the other truck, an Isuzu Wing, but ended up hitting its rear.

Gonzales was then taking a rest when the collision happened, said traffic investigator Police Officer 3 Jose Abuyog Jr. of the Paranaque police traffic unit.

“[Sumalili] said he tried to overtake the truck and swerved when another vehicle came approaching. He also thought the Isuzu Wing van was running. It didn’t have any warning lights on. It was also very dark in that part of the road,” Abuyog said.

“Based on the damage, I would say Sumalili was speeding,” Abuyog added.

After this first crash, a taxi cab driven by Christopher Guiruela, 38, of Antipolo City, rear-ended Gonzales’ vehicle.

The impact was so hard that “it took long for Gonzales’ body to be pulled out,” Abuyog said.

The three drivers faced reckless charges of imprudence resulting in homicide and physical injuries, he said.