July 28, 2022 - A passenger jeep traversing the Bontoc - Sadanga road was hit by rock debris at Sitio Makotiti, Poblacion, Sadanga, smashing the hood of the vehicle between the driver and the front passenger. Miraculously, all the passengers survived. This happened around 6:20 pm.
According to the PUJ driver - Rogel Peningeo 39, they departed from Mountain Province's capital - Bontoc around 5:15 pm. When they reached the place of the incident, a big rock hit the hood of the jeep causing it to bend and shuttered the front glass which shocked him and injured the front passenger.
The report from the Sadanga PNP which was forwarded to PNP Mt. Province PIO stated that, 2nd PMFC and other volunteers brought the smashed car to Sitio Ampawilen while the passengers were rushed to Sadanga Municipal Health Office for further assessment. The report added that the front passenger - Miss Shirley Guinoban 42, was referred to Bontoc General Hospital for further medical treatment.
However, the transfer of the injured passenger was challenged by difficulty due to multiple landslide and unfortunate road condition caused by ongoing rainfall and aftershocks of the earthquake.
PLT Bonifacio Fanged - Acting Chief of Sadanga PNP said that the ambulance which carried the patient had a flat tire along the way due to sharp debris that continuously fell on the road. A private car came to the rescue, bringing the injured to the first landslide at Sitio Gawa Tocucan. From there, another Samaritan helped the team ferry the patient to Cheka-a Bontoc where second major landslide was crossed by foot. Then, the PDRRMC vehicle which was helplessly stopped by the landslide carried the team in the last mile to the hospital.
He added that "in this arduous journey, the PNP, BFP, NDRRMC, and individuals solidly came hand in hand for the success of the operation. They cleared the road as swiftly and carefully as they could, carried the stretcher along the dangerous pile of debris , and escorted the patient until she was turned over to the care of medical personnel. "
The commitment of everyone in transporting the the injured reflects that "in times where help is urgently needed, Igorot community exceedingly extends a hand automatically, unsparingly.."
