A former municipal mayor of Rizal town in Palawan sustained injuries while his wife was killed on the spot when their vehicle figured in a horrific accident along the zigzag section of the South National Highway in Barangay Luzviminda at around 11:00 a.m. Thursday.
According to village chief Laddy Gemang, the incident happened at Kilometer 35 of the highway, involving a Nissan pickup truck owned and driven by former Mayor Nicolas Montaño. Citing accounts from witnesses and one of the village councilors who responded immediately, Gemang said the vehicle was in the process of overtaking two other moving vehicles when one of its tires suddenly blew out, causing the driver to lose full control.
The mechanical failure triggered a chain of collisions: the pickup first swerved and hit other vehicles, then crashed into a small makeshift store built beside the road, before slamming hard into a large acacia tree. The impact was so strong that the vehicle eventually tumbled down into a deep ravine just off the highway shoulder. Tragically, Montaño’s wife, who was a passenger in the front seat, suffered fatal injuries and died before help could arrive. The former mayor himself was hurt, along with another person riding with them, while three bystanders who were inside or near the roadside stall were also caught in the crash and sustained injuries of varying degrees.
All the victims — including the former mayor, his injured companion, and the three civilians hit at the store — were rushed to the nearest satellite clinic in Barangay Luzviminda for urgent medical attention. Village officials, together with local rescue teams and residents, immediately conducted retrieval operations to pull the wrecked vehicle and its occupants from the ravine. Gemang said road safety officers and traffic investigators have also arrived at the scene to conduct a detailed examination of the site, mark skid marks, and collect evidence to determine the exact sequence of events and whether other factors contributed to the fatal accident.
The zigzag portion of the South National Highway has long been flagged by motorists and authorities as accident‑prone, especially for vehicles traveling at high speed or those attempting risky overtaking maneuvers. Local officials are reminding drivers to exercise extra caution, maintain proper speed, and ensure their vehicles are in good running condition, especially when traversing winding and steep stretches of the highway. The remains of the former mayor’s wife have since been turned over to their family, while Montaño and the other injured victims remain under observation at the clinic for further treatment.
