ORMOC CITY— Four people were injured after a passenger tricycle veered off the road and fell into a roadside canal along the national highway in Sitio St. Joseph, Barangay Cabibihan, Caibiran, Biliran on Tuesday morning, January 6.
Police said the accident occurred at around 9:27 a.m. when the tricycle, driven by a 72-year-old man identified as alias “Pau,” reportedly lost control after the driver fell asleep while driving. The tricycle was traveling downhill along a portion of the road near Tinago Falls when the incident happened.
The passengers were identified as alias “Bea,” 57, married, alias “Gia,” and alias “Mika,” both of legal age. All passengers are residents of Barangay Atipolo, Naval, Biliran.
According to a police report submitted to the Police Regional Office 8 (PRO-8), personnel from the Caibiran Municipal Police Station, Caibiran Bureau of Fire Protection–Emergency Medical Services (BFP-EMS), and Caibiran Rescue (CARES) immediately responded to the incident after receiving a phone call from a concerned resident.
First aid was administered at the scene before the injured driver and passengers were transported by ambulance to the Caibiran Rural Health Unit for initial treatment. They were later referred to the Biliran Provincial Hospital in Naval for further medical care and are now recuperating.
Initial investigation revealed that the group was on their way to attend a funeral in Culaba, Biliran. Police said the passengers had earlier advised the driver to slow down while navigating the downhill stretch, but the warnings were allegedly ignored.
The tricycle was later brought to the Caibiran Municipal Police Station for proper disposition as police continue their investigation into the incident.
(ROBERT DEJON)
