By JEN BAYLON
Three individuals were killed while 17 others were injured after a vehicle driven by an Indian national rammed into a religious procession on Good Friday, April 18, in Bacolod City’s Barangay Alangilan.
Authorities identified the fatalities as 66-year-old Dionelo Solano, a lay minister; his friend Gilven Tanique, a barangay tanod; and 21-year-old Daynah Plohinog, a college student from La Consolation College-Bacolod and a resident of Negros Occidental’s La Carlota City.
The driver, identified as 37-year-old Jagpret Singh, who reportedly tested positive for alcohol, is set to face multiple criminal charges following the incident, the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) said.
An initial police investigation showed Singh’s vehicle collided with the tricycle carrying the victims, including Plohinog, who fainted during the procession.
At least 300 Catholic devotees were returning to the Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary Shrine at 7:20 p.m., the BCPO said.
The impact split the tricycle in half, sending debris into the crowd and a nearby police patrol car that was tailing the procession.
Solano died on the spot.
Tanique was declared dead on arrival at the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital (CLMMRH), while Plohinog succumbed to her injuries the following day.
Thirteen of the 17 injured, including two police officers, remain hospitalized.
‘Not drunk’
Singh, in an interview on Saturday, April 19, said he was not drunk at that time but “only took pain reliever.”
He asked forgiveness from the families of the fatalities and injured.
“Sorry gid, indi ko man gusto magbungguanay. Timing lang, gulpi lang nagbungguanay kami,” he said.
A police investigation said the private vehicle was moving speedily.
The Indian national, who had been living in the Philippines for more than 10 years, denied that he was driving fast.
Witnesses also reported no skid marks at the scene, suggesting Singh failed to brake before the impact.
Singh attempted to flee the scene before being apprehended by authorities, BCPO said.
He and four Indian companions drove the damaged vehicle for over a kilometer before abandoning it.
BCPO Director Colonel Joeresty Coronica confirmed that Singh will face charges of reckless imprudence resulting in multiple homicide, multiple physical injuries and damage to property.
“Rest assured, justice will prevail in the filing of the case against the suspect,” Coronica stated, extending condolences to the victims’ families.
“The case should be filed as soon as possible,” Coronica said in an interview with Aksyon Radyo Bacolod.
Authorities are also pursuing charges under the Anti-Drunk and Drugged Driving Act of 2013.
The BCPO is investigating Singh’s immigration status and the vehicle’s ownership.
The incident has also sparked calls for stricter road safety measures during religious gatherings.
Sorrowful
Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez described the incident as “deeply sorrowful” and vowed to ensure justice for the victims.
“The driver is in custody. I have asked our traffic and law enforcement units to ensure that a strong case is filed and that justice is served,” Benitez said in a statement.
He also extended his deepest condolences to the bereaved families and prayers for the swift recovery of the injured.
“We ask the public to refrain from spreading unverified information and to support the ongoing investigation,” he added.
Bishop Patricio Buzon of the Diocese of Bacolod mourned the victims, stating, “Their senseless death echoes Christ’s cry on the cross. We stand in solidarity with the bereaved and pray for the injured.”
“We surrender our hearts to the inscrutable and often painful unfolding of God’s plan,” he added.
Hospital protocols
Meanwhile, the CLMMRH denied social media allegations that Plohinog was denied treatment due to the absence of a family member.
The hospital addressed misinformation allegedly spread by a local radio station on social media.
“We provide urgent, compassionate care to all patients, regardless of status or family presence,” CLMMRH said in a statement on Saturday.
“Misinformation like this not only undermines public trust but also discredits the tireless efforts of our medical frontliners,” it added.
CLMMRH stressed that the claim is “categorically false,” and emphasized its commitment to providing urgent and compassionate care to all patients, regardless of their status or whether they are accompanied by family.
However, the local radio station stood by its report, citing a live broadcast where a rescuer urgently appealed for the victim’s family to come forward, claiming hospital staff required a relative’s presence for admission.
It also challenged CLMMRH to review unedited recordings and clarify its emergency protocols./JB, WDJ