13 drowned as SUV fell into Kalinga irrigation canal —LGU

At least 13 people, including three children aged three to five years old, were killed after an SUV crashed into an irrigation canal in Tabuk City, Kalinga on Sunday, according to the city government.

“Vehicular accident along the irrigation canal in Brgy. Bulo involving a black Ford Everest SUV driven by Soy Lope Agtulao resulting to multiple drowning,”  the Tabuk City government said in a Facebook post.

“According to rescuers from PDRRMC and the PNP, at around 2:30 this afternoon, 15 passengers were in the car and 13 of them drowned including children and  adults,” it added.

The provincial government of Kalinga said the vehicle accidentally fell and was submerged in the irrigation canal.

According to the city government, 12 of the victims were declared dead on arrival when they were rushed to Mija Kim Medical Center in Agbannawag.

Meanwhile, the other three were brought to the Kalinga Provincial Hospital (KPH), where one of them died.

Four of the fatalities were residents of Tadian, Mountain Province, while the rest were residents of Tabuk City, according to the city government.

Two survived the accident. 

Based on a police report of Tabuk City Police Station, the driver of the SUV is a member of the Philippine National Police assigned at the Tadian Municipal Police Station.

Police said 11 victims, seven females and four males, were pronounced dead on arrival by the attending physician at Mejia Kim Medical Center.

Meanwhile, two other victims were also declared dead on arrival at Kalinga Provincial Hospital.

Police said the two survivors were under medical intervention. —Joviland Rita/KBK/RSJ, GMA News