The stillness of the evening was jolted last night when a ten-wheeler truck plowed into a four-vehicle convoy killing three persons, two of them on the spot, in barangay Dao, this city. The freak road accident took place along Dao highway near Kilometer 3. The erring dump truck was on its way to this city when it rammed through the convoy. Bearing the brunt of the five-vehicle collision was the two motorcyles, the second and third vehicles, of the slow-moving convoy. The lead vehicle, a Multicab was a total wreck but the driver identified as Alejo Darunday, age unknown, of barangay Dasitam, Baclayon escaped the mishap with only slight injuries. He was immediately discharged from the hospital after emergency treatment.

The fatalities were identified as Ranillo Millanar of Lindaville Subdivision, this city; Cornelio Putong of Tiptip and Desideria Putong. The Putong couple was in the third motorcycle from lead car. The wife was brought to the Gov. Celestino Gallares Memorial Hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival while her husband died on the spot. Millanar who also died on the spot drove the second motorcycle while daughter Shina, the backrider, was thrown off the vehicle and escaped injuries.

The driver of the ten-wheeler, identified as Wilben Naces, 36 of Calanginan Norte, Sevilla town, surrendered voluntarily to the city police station after the incident. In an interview, Nacis said he was cruising the Dao highway when he slowed down and applied the brakes because of the incoming pile of vehicles. His brake did not work causing it to barrel through the convoy of vehicles. The dump truck came all the way from Tiptip district en route to this city. It was fully loaded with river sand. It is owned by E.Butalid Store of this city. The fifth vehicle involved in the accident was a Pajero Intercooler which suffered a broken windshield. The driver was unhurt.

The traffic accident last night topped the rising cases of violent incidents in Bohol as reported by Senior Supt. Edgardo Ingking, provincial police director, during the meeting last week of the Provincial Peace and Order Council. In his report, Ingking said the cases of hold-up, killings and rape in the province in the first 22 days are higher than those reported for the same period in the last two years. The index crime report was presented by Senior Supt. Edgardo Ingking, Bohol PNP provincial director, during the first meeting of the Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) last Jan. 24.

However, there were fewer incidents of physical injuries, theft and homicide this year compared to those in the last two years for the same period. Based on the report received by the Bohol Provincial Police Office, there were 20 robbery incidents, six murders and three rape cases reported from Jan. 1-22 this year. For the same period last year, there were only 17 robbery incidents, one murder and one rape case. In 2006, there were six robbery incidents, three murders and two rape cases reported in the same period. Among those included in the murder cases this year were the killing of ex-rebel Ronaldo Sendrijas along Gallares street on Jan. 17 and Eusebio Torres along Hontanosas street last Jan. 1.

Meanwhile, a woman was rushed to the hospital after she was hit by a stray bullet while walking home at dawn last Jan. 24. The victim was identified as one Rosalie Bajao, 29, married and a native of Barangay Tanghaligue, Talibon town. Initial reports revealed that she was walking home after attending a benefit dance when she heard the sound of gunfire. It was then that Bajao realized that she had been hit on her leg. Police investigators learned that rival youth groups engaged in a rumble after the benefit dance. Investigators are still trying to determine the identity of the gangs that were involved in the rumble and who could be responsible for the shooting that hit B