4 dead after truck rams into van along TPLEX

Four people died after a truck rammed into a van that was plying the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway (TPLEX) Saturday morning.

The victims were identified as:

Marilyn Arellano, 54 years old
Kimberly Rose Arellano, 17 years old
Kristel Arellano, 15 years old
Krisel Mae Arellano

Eight others, including the van's driver, were injured and were brought to hospitals in Rosales, Pangasinan.

They were identified as:

Lida Arellano, 46 years old
Hadji Undayag, 38 years old
Maricel Arellano, 32 years old
Rosalie Arellano, 32 years old
Maribeth Arellano, 15 years old
Nestor Arellano, 12 years old
Cyrus Arellano, 8 years old
Melanie Arellano, 2 years old

The van turned turtle after it was hit by the truck from behind, authorities said. All victims were seated at the rear of the van.

Both vehicles were running along the Anao, Tarlac portion of TPLEX when the van suddenly reduced speed, said the driver of the truck.

"Naka-blinker siya (van) tapos biglang bumagal. Iiwasan ko sana pero may o-overtake sa akin," he said.

(The van's blinkers were flashing, then it suddenly slowed down. I was supposed to swerve to avoid hitting the van but a vehicle was overtaking on the other lane.)

The truck driver was neither drunk nor sleepy, police said.

The truck was supposed to deliver construction materials from Subic to Pangasinan, while passengers of the van were from Taguig and were headed to Baguio for a vacation.

The family declined to comment on the incident as most of them were still in shock and are being attended to in hospitals.