By: Vince Jacob Visaya
CABAGAN, Isabela-Police have been hunting the flagman or bridge guard manning the entrance of the Cabagan-Santa Maria Bridge for allowing the overloaded dumptruck to pass on February 27 at past 8 in the evening in Catabayungan, Cabagan, Isabela.
Police Major Merwin Villanueva, Cabagan police chief, said they are looking into the culpability of the flagman as he allowed the Shackman-type dumptruck with a driver and a helper as occupants.
“We will be investigating his possible liability,” he told reporters here on Saturday.
Other cars were also allowed and among those also damaged, including an Innova car driven by Ronel Catindoy, a 42-year-old non-uninformed personnel of the Divilacan town police and his wife Dinkie, 41-year-old non-uniformed personnel of Santa Maria police, and an eight-year-old boy of Calamagui, Santa Maria, Isabela.
Police also confirmed that eight were injured, not only six as they earlier reported, as two others were also accounted at the scene.
A Livina car driven by Jhonny Albano, 40, and with passenger, Bryan Dejan, 31, of Barangay Catabayungan , Cabagan, Isabela; and a minor who drove a motorcycle have been recuperating at the Cagayan Valley Medical Center.
The social welfare regional office gave P5,000 financial help each to three of the victims while P10,000 each were given to three others who rode the Innova car under the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS).#
