A 73-year-old man died after a pickup truck plowed into a line of people waiting to buy subsidized rice outside a government facility in Quezon City in the early hours of Wednesday, the Department of Agriculture confirmed.
The victim was seated along the pavement near the Bureau of Animal Industry compound on Elliptical Road at around 3:45 a.m. when the vehicle struck the group. He died from severe injuries before he could be brought to a hospital. A sidewalk vendor caught in the collision sustained injuries and is currently receiving medical attention.
The Land Transportation Office has since placed both the truck and the driver’s license under alarm status as the investigation continues. The registered owner and the driver have been summoned to appear at the LTO central office on May 25 to explain why they should not face administrative charges of reckless driving and improper persons to operate a motor vehicle. Authorities said the truck was headed from Elliptical Road toward Congressional Avenue when it veered into pedestrians near the gutter.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. offered his condolences to the family of the deceased and pledged government support. “The government is committed to extending the necessary assistance to the victim’s family during this difficult time,” he said.
The DA noted that a designated waiting area — equipped with chairs and tents — had already been set up inside the BAI compound for those queuing for the P20-per-kilo rice program.
Agriculture Assistant Secretary Genevieve Velicaria-Guevarra, who oversees the Kadiwa ng Pangulo program, called on beneficiaries to stop arriving at distribution sites before dawn. “While we understand the eagerness of beneficiaries to secure their rice allocation, we encourage everyone to avoid lining up too early,” she said, adding that an online scheduling system is available to reduce queuing.
The DA maintained that rice supplies under the subsidy program remain sufficient to meet demand.
