A 73-year-old senior citizen waiting in line to buy subsidized rice was killed early Wednesday after a speeding pickup truck veered onto a sidewalk and struck a group of people along Visayas Avenue in Quezon City.
The Department of Agriculture later expressed sympathy to the family of the victim, who died outside the Bureau of Animal Industry office along Visayas Avenue.
Another person was injured and is undergoing treatment, police said.
Authorities said the accident occurred about two hours before rice-selling operations were scheduled to begin. The designated waiting and selling area, equipped with chairs and tents, had already been prepared inside the BAI compound.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. extended condolences to the victim’s family and assured assistance to those affected.
“We mourn the loss of a senior citizen whose life was tragically taken in this accident. The Department of Agriculture is committed to extending all necessary assistance to the victim’s family and to the injured individual during this difficult time,” Tiu Laurel said.
Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Service Assistant Secretary Genevieve Velicaria-Guevarra and the KADIWA ng Pangulo program also expressed sorrow over the incident and urged beneficiaries not to arrive excessively early at distribution sites.
“We are deeply saddened by what happened. While we understand the eagerness of beneficiaries to secure their rice allocation, we encourage everyone to avoid lining up too early. We want to assure the public that there is sufficient rice supply available for those in need,” Guevarra said.
She said the DA is coordinating with police authorities as the investigation continues and reiterated the agency’s commitment to assist the victims and their families. Guevarra also encouraged beneficiaries to use the online scheduling system for the government’s P20 rice program to avoid long queues.
