Cagayan De Oro City — On 22 December Annabelle Maglente, along with five family members, waved and bid goodbye to neighbors in Phase 3, Greenville Subdivision in Barangay Bogo, this city, as they left their house   for a reunion and to celebrate Christmas, a birthday, and New Year, in Polomolok, South Cotabato.

"Pupunta kami sa malayo.. (We are going far away,) 'bahala na kayo' sa Christmas and New Year party nation,”  Annabelle, fondly called "Gingging," shouted  as she and her family waved to neighbors gathered in front of their padlocked house while riding in their L-300 van early in the morning.

It was a premonition. The family, except for one, would never return to their neighborhood to celebrate their yearly yuletide season and New Year celebrations.

The remains of the family arrived in this city on Saturday, and burial was set for New Year's Day.

The family members — Joel, 57, a father and mechanical engineer, and former OFW; Joan, a psychologist and balikbayan from India; Oliver Duke, a graduating nursing student — left their village excited for the Christmas reunion with relatives, the father’s birthday celebration on 27 December, and New Year’s.

Two minors later joined the group in Polomolok town.

At about 3:00 p.m. on the following day, while on their way to a tourist spot in Tupi town, Oliver, the driver, lost control of the wheel due to mechanical trouble, causing the L-300 van carrying them to veer toward the side of the highway and hit a tree.

Investigators at the Tupi Municipal Police Station reported that the collision was so strong that four of the passengers, including the driver, were thrown out and landed on a rocky portion of the road, causing fatal injuries. Oliver, who was ejected but still strapped into the driver's seat, survived the accident and was immediately transported to a hospital by emergency responders from the Tupi local government unit.

The police report identified the victims who died on the spot as Joel, the father; Annabelle, 52; Joan, 28; Duke; Ike; and two minors, Marga, 7, and Yuna, 8, both from Polomolok, South Cotabato.

For Estrella Patalinghod Estrada, Annabelle’s best friend, the departure of the family was their final farewell. She immediately set up a makeshift altar, lit candles in front of the gate of the locked house, and organized a nightly vigil for the departed neighbors.

“They (Maglente family) were humble and kind neighbors. We gathered every year to celebrate Christmas and New Year together,” she said in a radio interview.

She said the eldest daughter, Joan, who married and lived in India, returned home, and her Indian husband was scheduled to arrive in Polomolok to reunite with her. The father was also set to celebrate his 57th birthday during their vacation.

She said Joel, a mechanical engineer, had worked overseas for 10 years before retiring due to an eye injury. The lone survivor, Oliver, had helped his father with mechanical work in the village.

The family lived a frugal life and had invested their lifetime earnings in buying three houses for rent.

Estrada said their kitchen and the Maglente’s kitchen were just a wall away, and every time they cooked, they regularly spoke with each other.

At one time, Gingging told her that if she died, she would just knock on the wall to signal her presence in the kitchen.

On the early morning of 24 December, while she was cooking, she heard knocks on the wall from the kitchen of her neighbors.

“I shouted and told her, ‘Ging, rest in peace. We will pray for you and your family,’” she said.