Road mishap
One doctor, 11 injured in road accident in Tagum City
WHAT was supposed to be an ocular visit of the medical staff from Baguio City ended bad as the van they were riding going to Tagum City crashed on a road island where one was killed while 11 others were severely injured.
The accident occurred at around 8 a.m. along National Highway, Purok 6-A, Barangay Canocotan in Tagum City when a black Toyota van carrying 11 medical staff from Baguio and Davao City which was driven by Julan Baldove, 28, crashed on the road island.
In an initial investigation conducted by the police, the black van where the victims were on tried to overtake another vehicle when there were two others in front of them. While he was overtaking, the second
vehicle also changed lane to overtake the other one, leaving them in a bad position.
Police confirmed that Baldove maneuvered the vehicle to the road island instead to avoid any collision with the other vehicles.
In a video posted on Facebook by Ruel Dagsangan, the black van was shown dented as it turned sideways after the collision. Its passengers identified as Eulina Lagdao, 50, medical doctor; Virginia B. Mangati, 49, medical doctor; Brigida Claro, 56, medical doctor; Marilyn A. Lapaz, 45 nurse; Michelle L. Suyat, 42, nurse; Candida Donggayao, 53, nurse; Carmen B. Bumatnong, 49, nurse; Teresa C. Abrenica, 44, nurse; Valorie B. Presco., 40, nurse; Clarence D. Clemente, 52, admin assistant; and Marites M. Baloran, 49, IT admin of Baguio General Hospital, Baguio City, CAR were brought to the Medical Mission Hospital right away.
Unfortunately, at 10:30 a.m. one of the victims, Brigida Claro from Baguio City, died while receiving treatment. Claro is a cardiologist and chairperson of the Department of Internal Medicine of Baguio General Hospital. The other ten patients were transferred to Davao Regional Medical Center.
In an interview with Sun. Star Davao, Lorraine Ramos, 31, one of the passengers of the van, said they were supposed to be at the Davao Medical Center for benchmarking purposes.
Ramos, who sustained a head injury and had just undergone a psychosocial debriefing after the accident, said they have already contacted the family members of their fellow passengers.
Meanwhile, the vehicle they were riding was already forwarded to the motor pool, while the driver, who had minor injuries, was now at the custody of Tagum City Police Station for proper disposition after he was discharged from the hospital.
The patients, as of this writing, were receiving psychosocial debriefing. With reports from JCR