MABALACAT CITY – The solemn procession of the Black Nazarene here on Tuesday night was marred by an accident which sent 13 persons to the hospital.
Sr. Insp. Jeffrey Jalandoni of the city police office said on regional television the accident was caused by the sudden acceleration of a Mitsubishi Montero Sport that crashed onto an Isuzu truck.
Jalandoni said the truck driver, identified as Lyndon Rendon, lost control of his vehicle which then crashed into three oncoming vehicles before plowing through the Black Nazarene procession causing injuries to more than a dozen persons.
“Yung Montero naka park sa gilid ng kalsada. Yung Isuzu truck nag u-turn papuntang Tarlac, then suddenly yung Montero biglang umarangkada binangga yung truck. Yun po ang nagging sanhi ng aksidente, nadamay po ang mga nag pu prusesyun na kababayan naten (The Montero was parked on the roadside. The Isuzu truck made u-turn towards Tarlac, then the Montero suddenly accelerated and crashed into the truck. That is the cause of the accident which affected our countrymen),” the police officer said.
Jalandoni said the Montero driver, Frelaine Michelle Ong, agreed to an immediate settlement.
It was learned that the injured devotees were taken to the Mabalacat District Hospital.
Bernardino Bernardo of the Mitsubishi Montero Sport SUA (sudden unintended acceleration) Info Site on Facebook gave a reaction saying: “Definitely it’s the deadly SUA of Mitsubishi Montero, it has claimed so many lives and limbs and property damages, but because of GREED the Mitsubishi is doing all they can to hide the issue for around 8 years now and worst our government, DTI, whose main mandate is to protect us from such is protecting them instead.”