CAMP OLIVAS, Pampanga—Two persons died and four others seriously injured when a wayward dump truck plowed into a queue of people, mostly beneficiaries of the government Special Amelioration Program, near the City Hall of San Jose Del Monte, police said Wednesday.
The fatalities were identified as Herminio Gerona, the truck driver suffered a heart attack that led to the accident, and a 54-year resident, Analyn Somooc.
Injured were Ronilo Navarro Jr., Mario De La Rosa, Mary Rose Eustaquio and Cecilia Beramo, all residents of City of San Jose Del Monte in Bulacan.
The victims, police said, were waiting for their names to be called at the tent being utilized as a temporary holding area for SAP beneficiaries.
The dump truck is owned by the local government unit of the City of San Jose Del Monte.
“Initial investigation revealed that Gerona was driving the dump truck around 7:40 am when he had a heart failure, causing him to lose control of the vehicle and rammed straight to a tent beside the City Treasury Office where the victims were waiting in line for their cash aid,” read the incident report of the police.
Police said the truck driver and the other victims were rushed to the Ospital ng Lungsod ng San Jose Del Monte but Gerona and Somooc were declared dead upon arrival.
“We extend our condolences to the families of the victims. Accidents like this happen but we can prevent and avoid them, if you think you are distracted, stressed, fatigued or unwell and it will affect your judgement while driving, you should not get behind the steering wheel,” said Brig. Gen. Valeriano De Leon, director of the Central Luzon PNP.