BY: ANGELICA ARQUERO
A utility vehicle (AUV) lost control, crashed into a barrier, and landed on the roof of a house in Barangay Poliwes on the afternoon of March 28.
CCTV footage captured the speeding AUV before it slammed through the barrier.
Instead of falling directly to the ground, the vehicle ended up on the rooftop of a house where Kenan Alabanza’s family was watching television.
“We were shocked when the ceiling suddenly collapsed. I instinctively grabbed my child and used my legs to shield us from the debris,” Alabanza recounted. “At first, we thought it was thunder, but when we stepped outside, we realized it was a vehicle.”
The 23-year-old driver sustained injuries and was rescued by emergency responders.
However, the operation took time as they had to secure the vehicle before extracting him.
“We couldn’t pull him out immediately because the car was dangling. We had to wait for a boom truck to safely remove it,” rescuer Rafael Valencia explained.
Authorities suspect that the driver lost control due to the slippery road conditions caused by rain.
“His rear wheels may have locked up. The road was wet, and he was speeding, making it difficult for him to steer,” said Police Major Carl Von Malamnao, commander of BCPO Station 8. “He first hit the barricade, then a light post, before landing on the boarding house’s roof.”
Police are still assessing the damage to the affected property and determining whether the victims will file charges or settle the matter privately.
