MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Embassy in Singapore has confirmed that two Filipino were killed while four others were injured in a road accident that happened in a mall in Singapore Sunday afternoon.
“Parang freak accident ang nangyari kaninang hapon between four and five sa likod ng Lucky Plaza. Isang private sedan ay nawala sa road at saka binangga yung mga grupo ng kababayan natin na nagpapahinga sa gilid ng daan at saka dinala pababa dun sa isang driveway ng Lucky Plaza,” Minister and Consul General Adrian Candolada said in an interview with dzBB.
(What happened seemed like a freak accident, which transpired between four or five in the afternoon behind Lucky Plaza. A private sedan went off the road hitting a group of Filipinos resting on the side, dragging them down a driveway in Lucky Plaza).
Lucky Plaza mall is known to be popular destination for foreign workers, especially for Filipino domestic workers.
Candolada said that the six victims, all of whom are Filipino women, were rushed to a government hospital.
Two were put in the intensive care unit (ICU) while two others are in stable condition and are being treated.
“Yo’ng latest po ayon sa traffic police na nag-investigate, dalawa pong namatay, dalawa ang nasa ICU, dalawa tini-treat, stable na,” Candolada said.
(The latest from the traffic police who were investigating, two have died, two are in the ICU, two are being treated and already in stable condition).
“All of them are adults, we are still verifying yung next of kin nila sa Manila. At least two of the victims ay galing sa (are from) Cagayan province ang isa naman sa (while another one hails from) La Union,” he added.
Candolada said the driver, who is a local, is now in the custody of the police.
“We don’t know yet kasi ongoing pa yung investigation kung na-file na formally yung complaint laban sa driver,” he said.
(We don’t know yet because the investigation is still on going if a complaint has already been filed against the driver).
The embassy is coordinating with the employer of the two victims that were killed for the repatriation of their remains, Candolada added.
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has, meanwhile, assured that “all assistance will be provided to the victims.”
“(The) DFA Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs (OUMWA) “is checking the latest information about this tragic accident with our embassy,” Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Eduardo Meñez told reporters.