Five killed, 25 others injured in two accidents in Kalinga

Tabuk City, Kalinga - Five persons including a Canadian national and a four year-old girl were killed in two accidents which occurred in the province last week.

At around 3 PM of March 5, a Dang-on mini bus with plate number AYC 908 fell into the creek at Luyucan, Nambaran, this city, resulting in the death of four of its passengers and the injuring of 25 others.

The police identified the fatalities as Luis Tingle, 40, of Casigayan, this city, Cristina Asan, of Taloktok, Tanudan, Kalinga, Uney Kawasaki, 4 years old, Bulanao, this city, and Corazon Espita, 43, of Quezon, Isabela.

Those wounded all of whom are now confined at the Kalinga Provincial Hospital in Bulanao are the following: Ardy Dangani, 34, married, of Anonang, Rizal, Kalinga; Rowel Eugenio Bactad, 18, single, Alcala, Pangasinan; Nelly Grace Palattao, 19, single, Laya East, this city; Rosalina Garcia; Elizabeth Miana, 40, married, of Purok 2, Bulanao, this city; Joan Estanilla, 19, single, Purok 6, Bulanao; Remy Magmuyao, 28, married, Purok 7, Bulanao; Emilio Puegan, 34, married, of Purok 5, Bulanao; Marisol Baniaton. 22. single, Laya, this city; Mylin Tinipac, 17, single, Purok 2, Bulanao; Russel Umawing, one year old, Maddela, Quirino; Gina Macababbad Umawing, 31, married, Maddela, Quirino; Princess Macababbad, 3, Maddela, Quirino: Jocelyn Macababbad, 49, Appas, this city; Moharmin Dumarayo, 37, married, Dagupan Centro, this city;

Lourdes Campilis, 50, Agbannawag, this city; Angelito Prudencio, 22, single, Quezon, Isabela; Benigno Awingan, 27, single, Purok 4, Bulanao; Eddie Lozano. 50, married, Liwan, Rizal, Kalinga; King Jocel Agsao, 3, Rizal, Kalinga; JoanaMarie Bataoil, 19, single, Agbannawag; Sgt. Celestino Leo Josue, 40, single, Purok 5, Bulanao; Bartolome Sembrano, 54, widower, San Juan, this city; Florencia Lumanao, 72, Purok 4, Bulanao; and Robert Espita, 25, single, Purok 3, Bulanao.

Initial police investigation revealed that the bus which is owned by Raymundo Apil of Marbulig 1, Cauayan City, Isabela and driven by Jessie Bruno of Purok 7, Bulanao was going uphill towards Nambaran when it suddenly moved backwards at high speed.

The bus broke through the railings of the Luyucan Bridge falling into the creek some 20 meters below.

The police said that they still could not determine the real cause of the accident because Bruno fled right after the accident. They, however, expect him to surrender shortly as he has already sent surrender feelers.

In another development, past 3 PM on March 4, Otto Unsinn, 62, of British Columbia, Canada, was hiking to Buaya, Balbalan, this province, the birthplace of his wife Eulalia nee Lumiwan, 56, in the company of EulaIia and 15 ofher relatives when he suddenly tripped on a rock and fell frontward causing him to lose consciousness.

Eulalia, a community care giver, said that her husband failed to break his fall with his hands because both hands were hampered by his back pack so that his face hit the rocks on the trail.

According to Eulalia, it was raining and they were going downhill when the accident took place.

Eulalia said that they tried everything to revive Unsinn but to no avail because the tongue of Unsinn had receded into his mouth.

"We rushed him to the clinic in Pinukpuk Junction, Pinukpuk but the doctor declared him dead on arrival," Eulalia said.

Eulalia had just requested the National Bureau of Investigation to conduct an autopsy of the body "for my protection and that of my relatives because we were the only ones there when the accident took place."

The Unsinns who resided in British Columbia since they were married in 1999 were on a vacation in the country. **by Estanislao Albano , Jr.

Photo credit: J. Donaal

Tourist's misadventure: Canadian man meets mountain's spirits!

A supposed excitement and merry-making relative to the first time visit cum adventure of a westerner married to a local woman has turned unexpectedly into bizarre and total grief. This came about when Otto Unsinn, 62, met his own death in what appears to be a mishap afternoon of March 4 in his way to the remote mountainous village of Buaya (or Buwaya), Balbalan.

According to some witnesses who happen to be the victim's companions at the time of accident, Unsinn and his wife Eulalia Lumiwan, 56, together with several locales, were trekking the trail going to Buaya when the accident happened.

Unsinn who showed that time too much excitement to reach his wife's native home was moving fast ahead of the others when suddenly he got skidded and dropped into a relatively deep canal while trying to cross it. Apparently, he fell quickly headfirst facing the ground and as he landed his head quick-struck a seemingly sharp crushed stone immediately causing him unconscious, a witness said. Bruises in the face and a wound in the lower jaw are visible.

The wife tried to apply a sort of first aid by pumping his breast and then rushed him after that to the hospital. Few hours along the way, Unsinn was still with his pulse but did not make it the time he reached the Pinukpuk District Hospital. There he was declared dead on arrival.

Unsinn is a German national turned Canadian citizen.

The wife has already informed the German and Canadian embassies regarding her husband's death and her desire to bring home to Canada the cadaver, and she and her relatives also had requested the police and the National Bureau of Investigation to conduct an investigation and perform an autopsy to dispel doubts on the matter.

Unsinn now lies in state at the residence of Mr. Castro Bedoy, brother-in-law, at Purok 4, Bulanao, Tabuk City, this province while waiting the travel papers and other requirements be processed and finished for him to be brought home.