4 killed, 2 hurt in SCTEX accident

MANILA, Philippines – Four people were killed while two others were injured in a road accident involving a military truck and a sport utility vehicle along the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) section in Pampanga province Tuesday night. In an interview over GMA-7’s Unang Hirit Wednesday morning, Tollways Management Corp. spokesperson Betty Jose said the incident occurred about 7:15 p.m. near the Pasig-Potrero Bridge in Porac town, Pampanga. Two of the fatalities were aboard the 6x6 military truck while the other two were passengers of the Mitsubishi Outlander SUV, another report aired over Unang Hirit said. Major Segundo Mitran said the remains of one of their men will be brought to Pangasinan province while the remains of another to Cabanatuan City in Nueva Ecija. Mitran added that because the two Army men died in the line of duty, their families are entitled to full benefits. An earlier report on dzBB radio identified the soldiers as Pfc. Manolito Calasiag and Pfc. Jason Fajardo of the Army's 3rd Infantry Battalion. Injured were Pfc. Loreto Gasingan and Alex Franco. The two were brought to V. Luna Medical Center in Quezon City. The other two fatalities were identified as Apolinario Bernabe and his wife Dr. Teresita Bernabe, the passengers of a Mitsubishi Outlander SUV. In the television interview, Jose said the driver of the Outlander was trying to overtake another vehicle but “she miscalculated" and slammed into the military truck. "Ang initial findings namin, high-speed ang Outlander, miscalculation ng driver ng Outlander. I think he was supposed to overtake, tumama sa truck (Our initial findings were that the Outlander was traveling at high speed but the driver miscalculated while trying to overtake)," Jose said. Jose said this is the first major accident in the SCTEX. She added that the newly-opened thoroughfare was “well-lighted and had reflectorized lane markings." She then advised motorists in the SCTEX to take added precaution and to avoid over-speeding. “Paalala lang po sa mga motorista lalo na po sa gabi, huwag naman po mag-overspeed (We remind motorists especially those traveling at night not to overspeed)," she said. - Sophia Dedace, GMANews.TV