The police identified the fatality as Kacilyn T. Layug, 14, a high school student and a resident of Sitio Bana, Barangay Dolores here. She was reportedly part of the crowd of spectators watching the parade when a truck (WCW 592), driven by one Wilfredo Dela Cruz, 38, which was parked on the shoulder while waiting for the parade to pass by, suddenly moved forward and plowed into the crowd before crashing into the last float.
Layug went under the truck where her face was reportedly crushed by one of its wheel which initially crashed into the float bearing Miss Mabalacat 2015 Bianca Leana Mae De Leon and Haring Caragan 2015 Dankan Manalo as well as the daughter of Mayor Marino “Boking” Morales identified as Jessa, 17.
According to police investigator PO1 Lionel Cajigal, Layug was declared dead on arrival by Dr. Ariel Ocampo at the St. Raphael Medical Foundation where she was brought.
Layug’s remains were later brought to the Joshua Funeral Parlor in Barangay Mawaque. It was learned that the people on the float suffered only minor bruises due to the impact while the mayor’s daughter sustained a cut in the right ankle which needed four stitches to close.
According to Cajigal, a policeman he identified as PO2 Reynaldo Asuncion was on the float at the time of the accident. Cajigal said Asuncion was able to jump off the float as the truck crashed into it spraining his ankle. Asuncion said he saw the truck driver desperately pumping his brakes before it crashed into the float.
Bystanders said Dela Cruz allegedly tried to move his truck forward as the last float passed by at the end of the parade to beat other motorists in the horrendous traffic following the parade. But instead, the truck plowed into the crowd of spectators, who also began moving forward, before crashing into the float shattering its windshield.
Cajigal said Dela Cruz tested negative for alcohol consumption contrary to reports that he was drunk at the time of the accident. “Katatapos lang nilang mag-spray sa mangahan ni Dr. Tiglao (They just finished spraying the mango orchard of Dr. Tiglao),” the police investigator said.
It was learned that Mayor Morales visited the victim’s wake shortly after the incident.
“We regret the accident took place,” said Caragan festival chairman Dionisio “Jhune” Magbalot. “The city government would like to assure the family of the victim of assistance as well as in pursuing a case against the truck driver,” he assured. “I personally would like to help in other ways too,” he added.
The Caragan parade was near its end as the last float went past the SCTEx overpass and was already near the Sacobia Bridge in Barangay Tabun on its way to the Xevera housing complex when the accident occurred.
The parade ended the Caragan five-day celebration, from February 16 to 20, in honor the first chieftain of Mabalacat who is a native Aeta married to a Mabalaqueña named Laureana Tolentino.
Caragan is part of the month-long fiesta activities in celebration of the feast day of Our Lady of Divine Grace Parish, the patroness of the city. Highlights of the Caragan festival include street dancing, participated by students along the three-kilometer stretch from the Poblacion to Xevera; a regional trade fair all throughout the five-day festival; and the search for Haring Caragan (Mr. Mabalacat) on February 17.
Held every third week of February, Caragan is now an annual cultural event bringing to light the Aeta culture and the founding of the town.
