Death toll from Cagayan road accident rises to 15

The death toll from the road accident involving a passenger jeep and a truck in Cagayan province rose to 15 as of early Tuesday, police said. Piat town police head Chief Inspector Rotillo de Laza also said they are preparing possible charges against the owners of both vehicles for the accident. “Si Reggie Tanlog namatay while undergoing treatment at St. Paul Hospital in Tuguegarao (The latest fatality was Reggie Tanlog, who died while undergoing treatment at the St. Paul Hospital in Tuguegarao City)," De Laza said in an interview on dzXL radio. Citing reports reaching him, De Laza said Tanlog died at about 3 a.m. on Tuesday. He said that of the 26 casualties in Monday’s accident, only 15 are still in the hospital. De Laza said they are eying charges against both the drivers of the van and the truck. Both drivers are still in the hospital, he said. “As of this time, pwede kasauhan ang mga driver ng passenger jeep at driver ng truck (Our investigation showed both drivers can be liable)," he said. Initial police investigation showed that the truck went out of control after one of its tires exploded, and hit the jeep bound for Tuguegarao City at 4 a.m. last Monday. Cagayan police said most of the fatalities were students. Two of the fatalities, Faustino and Corazon Arquero, were residents of Burgos town in Ilocos Sur. Faustino was a minister of the Iglesia ni Cristo, according to a report on dzRH radio. - LBG, GMANews.TV