KABAYAN, Benguet — Five people, including two young boys, were killed and 22 others were injured Thursday morning when a six-wheel truck carrying dozens of passengers overturned on a mountain highway in Benguet province, local officials said.
Reports disclosed that the vehicle was traveling from Mountain Province to Nueva Vizcaya with 39 passengers when it flipped along the Congressman Andres Acop Cosalan National Road in the village of Poblacion, according to Kabayan Mayor Rex Alwyn Aquisan.
The fatalities were all male and included a three-year-old and an 11-year-old boy, Aquisan confirmed.
Local disaster officials received a report of the crash at 10:07 a.m. Responders arrived at the scene eight minutes later, transferring all casualties to the Kabayan Rural Health Unit by late morning.
Ten of the survivors suffered multiple head injuries and fractures. They were transferred to the Dennis Molintas District Hospital in neighboring Bokod for advanced treatment.
Another 12 people, including the truck driver, sustained minor injuries and were treated locally.
The remaining 12 passengers escaped injury and were given temporary shelter by village and health officials.
The rescue operation drew a massive local response, pulling in police, firefighters, disaster management personnel, and volunteers from nearby communities. Emergency teams from the towns of Bokod and Buguias also deployed vehicles and personnel to assist.
Following the crash, Aquisan urged motorists to regularly inspect their vehicles for mechanical soundness and to practice safe driving habits. The mayor also appealed to the public to refrain from sharing unverified information online, noting that local government units will continue to release official updates.
