LIBONA, BUKIDNON — A tragic road accident claimed the lives of five pineapple plantation workers and left 16 others injured after the truck they were riding crashed in the mountainous town of Libona on Sunday afternoon, February 8, 2026.
The victims, all employees of a major agribusiness firm in the region, were reportedly on their way home when the incident occurred in a steep section of the road in Barangay Gantuangco.
The Incident According to the Libona Municipal Police, the cargo truck was transporting over 20 workers when the driver lost control of the vehicle while navigating a descending curve.
- Mechanical Failure: Preliminary investigations suggest that the truck’s brakes failed, causing the vehicle to gain speed uncontrollably before it eventually overshot the road and slammed into a roadside embankment.
- Casualties: Three workers were declared dead on the spot due to severe head and body injuries. Two others passed away while undergoing treatment at a local hospital.
- The Injured: Sixteen other passengers, including the driver, sustained various injuries. Several remain in critical condition and have been transferred to larger medical facilities in Cagayan de Oro City.
Rescue and Response Local residents and the Libona Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO) rushed to the scene to extricate the victims from the wreckage.
- Emergency Assistance: The agribusiness company has reportedly pledged to provide full financial assistance for the burial of the deceased and the medical expenses of the survivors.
- Police Investigation: The truck driver is currently under police custody at a hospital and may face charges of reckless imprudence resulting in multiple homicide and multiple physical injuries, pending the final results of the mechanical inspection of the vehicle.
Road Safety Concerns The accident has sparked renewed calls for stricter monitoring of the roadworthiness of vehicles used to transport plantation workers in Northern Mindanao. Local officials noted that the winding, steep roads of Bukidnon require vehicles to be in peak mechanical condition to prevent such tragedies.
As of Monday morning, authorities are still verifying the identities of all the victims to ensure their families are properly notified.