Three cops die, five hurt in Davao road crash

Three policemen died after a patrol car carrying a team of police operatives slammed into a truck in Sta. Cruz town, Davao del Sur, before dawn Friday.

Initial investigations showed that the team of Inspector Jerome de Leon, 14th Police Regional Mobile Group based in Butuan City, was on board a speeding patrol car along a highway in Barangay Bato, when they rammed a prime mover truck around 2 a.m.

De Leon and two of his men died because of the collision's strong impact. Five policemen, meanwhile, have been rushed to the provincial hospital of Davao del Sur.

The police team came from Butuan City and were on their way to Pikit town, North Cotabato to fetch other members of the regional mobile group that have been assigned to the province.

The truck driver, Francisco Casinto, has surrendered to the police, but claimed the accident was the patrol car driver's fault.

He said the patrol car took his lane and slammed into his truck.

Police were investigating the incident. With a report from Elric Ayop, ABS-CBN Davao
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