P1.1M cash recovered among the 15 fatalities
Police authorities have returned more than P1.135 million in cash to the families of the victims in the tragic road mishap that claimed the lives Wednesday of 15 livestock buyers in barangay Bulwang, Mabinay town in Negros Oriental.
Lt. Stephen Polinar, spokesperson of the Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office, on Thursday, said town police recovered the money from the victims, whose bodies were retrieved in an area after their truck fell off a cliff.
“We are grateful that no one touched the money of these people, who were livestock buyers enroute to barangay Dawis in Bayawan City, passing through Mabinay, for a tabo (flea market) to buy pigs, cattle, and other live animals,” Polinar said.
The list of casualties released by the NOPPO showed that many of the victims were actually related.
The deceased, who died on the spot, were identified as Rolindo Decipolo Sr., 63; Fe Decipolo; Rex Decipolo, 33; Rolindo Decipolo, 29;
Almar Egoogan, 26; Jemboy Egoogan;
Rene Magos, 46; Ireneo Magos, 37; Roy Magos, 29;
Allan Flores, 36; Jacob Labrador, 28; Remond Llenes, 29; Allen Pocong, 44; Marlon Solidad, 46; and Leo Soreño, 43;
They were all residents of La Libertad town.
The survivors who are still in the hospital are truck driver Antonio Toreno, and Jovanni Flores.
Polinar said the police will be filing a complaint of reckless imprudence resulting in multiple homicide against the driver.
Meanwhile, the bodies of those who perished were temporarily displayed at a funeral parlor in La Libertad awaiting their release to their respective families. (Judy F. Partlow/PNA)
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Photo Caption: The bodies of 15 passengers of the ill-fated cargo truck that plunged off a ravine in Mabinay are accounted for and covered with a trapal as policemen try to piece together the events that led to the freak accident. (Contributed photo)
