Hospital staff face a heartbreaking challenge in identifying the victims of the horrific multi-vehicle crash at the Tarlac City Toll Plaza on the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway last Thursday. Among the casualties are 10 souls—including four anak—whose lives were brutally cut short. Over 30 others now fight for recovery at Tarlac Provincial Hospital.
The hospital holds the victims’ cellphones, hoping their loved ones will call and bring answers to this shattering mystery. Outside, personal belongings—bags, scattered items—lie waiting, silent reminders of the chaos.
Among those clinging to life is a toddler, barely two or three years old. Found alone in a child car seat, his cries echo the heartache of losing both parents in the crash. The Philippine Red Cross now cares for this helpless boy, a lone survivor amid tragedy.
Meanwhile, the driver of the L300 van, where most fatalities came from, remains unable to speak, a ghost trapped in pain.
Most IDs recovered reveal the victims hail from Antipolo City, adding a painful connection to the unfolding tragedy.
Traffic chaos followed the crash. The SCTEX northbound lane shut down, stretching lines of vehicles for two kilometers. Yet, authorities acted fast, setting up a counterflow on the southbound lane to ease the jam. Fire trucks swept the scene with water until late afternoon, erasing traces of the disaster.
On the roadside, the wreckage told its own story—broken taillights scattered, a tiny life vest abandoned, evidence of the van’s tragic journey.
In the midst of sorrow and confusion, the search for answers and healing continues.
#Hospital staff identify SCTEX victims