Eight passengers of a jeepney were killed in Barangay Sta. Ines in Tanay, Rizal after they were swept by a flash flood on Saturday night, according to Tanay Municipal Police Station.

By Edward Era Barbacena

The fatalities were seven senior citizens and a five-year-old child, according to a report by Luisito Santos on Super Radyo dzBB on Sunday.

One person, identified as the wife of the jeepney driver, was also injured and was being treated in a hospital.

Tanay, Rizal Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (MDRRMO) chief Norberto Francisco Matienzo Jr. said the jeep came from the town proper and was carrying 25 passengers when the accident happened at around 8:15 p.m.

The jeep was reportedly crossing one of the 15 rivers in Tanay when it got stuck and was thereafter swept by a river flash flood.

"According to one of our witnesses... they said that their car got stuck in the last river that was supposed to be there, there was only one river near their barangay. The problem is, they are confused. They were pulling a fellow jeep but then what happened was, a sudden flash flood came, so when they were pulling it, it would have tipped over and that's what caused people to get swept away or get injured," 

He also said all victims were accounted for.

“As of now po, nandoon pa rin sa covered court ng Barangay Sta. Ines, Tanay, Rizal ‘yung mga na-recover na bangkay,” Matienzo added.

(As of now, the cadavers are still there in the covered court of Barangay Sta. Ines Tanay, Rizal.)

He said that before the accident, the elderly victims went to the town to get financial assistance from the government or to buy personal items.