Camp Lukban, Catbalogan City – a service vehicle of the Ciriaco Hotel in Calbayog City with seven Japanese nationals on board met an accident on November 6 at about 1:25PM along the Maharlika Highway at the vicinity of Barangay Tizon, Tarangnan, Samar. The service vehicle was on its way back to Calbayog City after visiting sites for medical mission when it collided with a cargo truck heading towards the opposite direction.

The headquarters of the 14^th Infantry Battalion (14IB) Philippine Army was immediately informed of the incident being the primary Army unit in-charge of security in the area. Lt.Col. Jennie M Heyasa, the Executive Officer of the battalion, dispatched a rescue team with two vehicles to facilitate the transport of the injured persons to the Samar Provincial Hospital. The 14IB also sought the assistance of the Tarangnan Municipal Police Office which sent a team to address the law enforcement concerns on the incident.

The Camp Lukban Station Hospital of the 8^th Infantry Division also sent an ambulance with a medical team to assist the rescue team of 14IB in the evacuation of the injured persons to Catbalogan City.

After the initial treatment of the injured persons at the Samar Provincial Hospital, the hospital provided an ambulance along with the ambulance of the Saint Camillos Hospital that was sent from Calbayog City to bring the patients to Saint Paul Hospital in Tacloban City for further treatment.

All of the patients except one are now in stable condition according to the attending physician. Mr. Yoshinori Miura who is suffering from disorientation is still confined at the hospital Intensive Care Unit.

MGen. Mario F Chan AFP, the Commander of the 8^th Infantry Division expresses his heartfelt gratitude to all the organizations who readily offered their services to make the evacuation and treatment of the injured persons a success.###