San Mateo, Philippines – At least 20 people who were on their way to a prayer rally were hurt when an overloaded passenger jeep and a delivery van collided along the national highway on Thursday night in Barangay (village) Daramuangan Sur in San Mateo town, police said.
Christian Puguon of San Mariano town, who was driving the jeep, admitted driving at 100 kilometers per hour and was overtaking another car when they slammed head-on with the oncoming delivery van driven by Reynante Andres at 7 p.m., police said.
Puguon, who was temporarily detained at the police station here, said he and the 56 occupants, all members of the religious sect Free Believers of Christ, were on their way to a prayer rally in General Aguinaldo in Ramon town when the accident had happened.
Due to the impact, the jeep turned-turtle and its passengers riding top-load were thrown off, causing various injuries.
Two of the 20 injured passengers were critical at a private hospital in Santiago City while the other passengers have been declared safe in different hospitals.