OLONGAPO CITY: A carabao that managed to get inside the Subic Clark Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) caused the death of a pastor from this city last week.
The carabao suddenly crossed the path of an Olongapo-bound Nissan Urvan at around 4:30AM along the Floridablanca portion of the SCTEX causing the death of Pastor Lucio Fuerte Miranda, 68, of the I Care Fellowship. Reponders rushed Miranda to the Romana Pangan District Hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival. “Why was there a carabao inside the expressway?”
Responders and onlookers look at the dead carabao who managed to get inside the SCTEX Floridablanca portion and suddenly crossed the path of a Nissan Urvan driven by Pastor Lucio Miranda. Both Miranda and the carabao died as a result of the collision.
Olongapo Mayor Rolen Paulino said when asked to comment on the fatal accident. “The reason why expressway operators charge toll fees is because we can expect smooth, convenient, fast and safe travel is it not?,” he said adding “now it seems that is not the case anymore,” he added. He said the fatal accident should be brought to the attention of the motoring public and issued a warning to his constituents and other motorists it may not be safe anymore to drive inside the expressway.
According to a report prepared by the Floridabanca Police Station , SCTEX Traffic Supervisor Anthony Martinez called them around 5:40 AM of May 29 of the vehicular accident that happened inside the expressway. Responding policemen found in the scene of the accident the dead body of Miranda, his white Nissan Urvan and the dead carabao. The report did not say how the carabao managed to get in the expressway.
Mylene Miranda, 38, eldest daughter of the pastor said when they passed by the scene of accident, they saw SCTEX people trying to repair a fence on the side of the expressway. She also said SCTEX management did not offer them any help and even charged them P6,000 for moving his father’s vehicle to the impounding area and charging them P6,000 again to tow the vehicle to Olongapo City. (Dante M. Salvana)