GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews / 17 June) – A one-year-old child was among six who died when a tricycle they were riding smashed into a moving truck afternoon of Father’s Day, June 16, along the national highway in this city.
Five of the fatalities, among them one-year-old Lathicia Enan and 11-year old Jeremy Culanan, died on impact. A six-year old girl—Zowie Cañedo, died while being rushed to a hospital.
Police said the tragedy struck when the tricycle, crammed with minors who were on their way home from a beach outing to celebrate Father’s Day, collided with a truck coming from the opposite direction along the national road in Cabu, Barangay Tambler.
City police traffic head Major Oliver Pauya identified the other fatalities as Jay Cañedo, 32, driver of the ill-fated tricycle, Rosilene Pajaro, 28, and Marivic Enan, 28.
Listed as in serious condition and under close observation include minors Raven Cañedo, 13, Kristen Joy Enan, 7, Chriespiar Cañedo, 8, and Mary Rose Enan, 12.
The driver of the truck was taken into police custody, pending investigation of what transpired, the police said.
On Saturday, a day before the Father’s Day incident, another road mishap injured a father and his child who were pinned on the tricycle they were riding when it collided with a sports utility vehicle along the national highway in Labangal, this city.
Philippine traffic laws prohibit tricycles from traveling along national highways.
But local authorities here and in nearby provinces appear unable to enforce such laws and directives, observed Joseph Lim, who works as a family driver.
Interior and local government Secretary Benhur Abalos has a standing order to all local government units and the police to make sure that tricycles stay clear of national highways due to the danger they pose to motorists and passengers.
The recent vehicle crashes happened as the Highway Patrol Group in Soccsksargen has been unable to get the needed deputization order from the Land Transportation (LTO) for the police unit to have legal authority in going after traffic violators.
HPG is the traffic enforcement unit of the Philippine National Police (PNP). Soccsksargen region consists of the provinces of South Cotabato, (North) Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, and Sarangani and the cities of General Santos, Koronadal, Kidapawan and Tacurong.
“None of them can apprehend, they are not authorized by law,” pointed out Melharrieh Tomawis, the director of LTO-Soccsksargen during a media forum.
Republic Act 4136 or the Land Transportation and Traffic Code of the Philippines, states that only law enforcement units and police officers duly deputized by the head of the LTO have the power to apprehend and confiscate driver’s licenses during violations.
The LTO official said the agency still has not renewed the deputization order of the HPG in Soccsksargen, which expired and was due for renewal in December last year.
For now, HPG’s only remaining function is to direct traffic and go after car thieves, Tomawis said.
Tomawis said the HPG has yet to iron out some issues before their deputization order can be renewed. He did not elaborate about the issues. (Rommel Rebollido / MindaNews)
