2 die as family Christmas road trip turns to tragedy

DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 26 December) – Investigators are still determining the cause of an accident in Barangay Tagnanan, Mabini municipality in Davao de Oro on Christmas Day, which claimed the lives of two people.

The 6:40 a.m. road crash caused the death of Jacquiline Signe Kilat, 40, and a 10-year-old child whose identity is still not known, according to Maj. Churchill Pablo Angog, Mabini police chief.

Police said Kilat was already dead when seen by medical personnel at the Davao de Oro Provincial Hospital in neighboring Pantukan town.

“[The child died at] 2:45 p.m. of Dec. 25. Kamag-anak po niya yung unang namatay, yung na-dead on the spot,” Angog told MindaNews in a text message Thursday morning.

Based on initial information from the Davao de Oro Provincial Police Office (DDOPPO), the Nissan Navara pickup truck driven by Cristian Pamonag Panerio, 31, crashed to a center island in Mabini.

The passengers were from Maco, Davao de Oro travelling to celebrate Christmas in Governor Generoso, some 120 kilometers away.

Meanwhile, Catherine dela Rey, Police Regional Office – Region 11 spokesperson, confirmed to MindaNews on Thursday morning that the vehicle had about a dozen passengers.

Two others were severely injured, which are said to be Kilat’s family members, who were brought to the Davao Regional Medical Center in Tagum City for treatment.

The passengers and their belongings, police said, were thrown out of the vehicle onto the road.

In a Facebook post Wednesday afternoon, DDOPPO reminded motorists and vehicle owners to exercise vigilance “to avoid similar tragedies,” (Ian Carl Espinosa / MindaNews)