A major traffic accident on a national highway in southern Cebu resulted in multiple injuries after a car collided with a truck and spun into a motorcycle. The incident has prompted a police investigation and serious charges against the car driver.
Details of the Alcoy Highway Collision
The collision occurred at 2:45 PM on Saturday, January 3, 2026, along the national highway in Barangay Daanlungsod, Alcoy. According to the Alcoy Municipal Police Station, a Toyota Wigo was traveling towards Cebu City when its driver attempted to overtake another vehicle.
During this maneuver, the Wigo directly struck an oncoming 6-wheeler closed van truck. The force of the impact was severe, causing the Wigo to spin out of control. In a secondary collision, the spinning car then hit a motorcycle that was traveling behind it.
Victims and Emergency Response
The injured passengers from the Toyota Wigo were swiftly transported to a medical facility by personnel from the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO).
The injured individuals have been identified as:
- Mary Eden Tapora Quianand, 46, a resident of Cebu City.
- Rodrigo Aballe Ardaba Jr., 46, from Nasipit, Barangay Talamban, Cebu City.
- Kenneth Laug-Laug Lopez, 25, from Barangay Banilad, Mandaue City.
- The driver, Richard Frias, 55, from Burgos Street, Barangay Alang-Alang, Mandaue City.
The motorcycle rider, Jun Marcillano Ponsica, 25, of Barangay Basak, Mandaue City, fortunately escaped serious injury and was reported to be in safe condition. The truck driver was identified as Junrey Alivo Mandawe, 40, from Cavite. His vehicle was carrying a load of tires destined for Dumaguete City in Negros Oriental.
Police Investigation and Driver's Account
Police Staff Sergeant Veronico Manriquez, the traffic investigator handling the case, revealed crucial details from the probe. The passengers in the Wigo disclosed that driver Richard Frias had momentarily dozed off at the wheel, only waking up at the moment of the powerful impact.
The group had reportedly spent the previous night at Tumalog Falls in Oslob with family and coworkers before the accident occurred on their return journey.
Evidence from an eyewitness, the motorcycle driver, was pivotal. "Based on the account of the motorcycle driver himself, he told us that the Toyota Wigo was really at fault because the truck was in its proper lane. The van even swerved to the right to avoid the collision but was still hit by the Wigo," stated Manriquez.
As a result of the investigation, the truck driver was released after it was determined he was not at fault for the mishap. Conversely, the driver of the Toyota Wigo, Richard Frias, will face a criminal case for Reckless Imprudence Resulting in Physical Injury and Damage to Property.
