DAMULOG, BUKIDNON — A heartbreaking road accident on a Tuesday morning has left a rural community in mourning after three young cousins lost their lives when the motorcycle they were riding collided with a 10-wheeler cargo truck.

The victims, identified as children aged 16, 13, and 10, were all students on their way to fetch water for their school. The fatal incident occurred at approximately 8:15 a.m. on Tuesday, June 30, 2026 along a curved, downhill stretch of the road in Purok 1, Barangay Anggaan, located in the municipality of Damulog.

According to initial reports from the Damulog Municipal Police Station, the 16-year-old was operating a Kawasaki Bajaj motorcycle with the two younger cousins riding as passengers. Police confirmed that the rider was driving without a legal driver's license or proper vehicle documentation due to being below the legal driving age.

As the motorcycle navigated the downhill curve, it suddenly crossed paths with an oncoming 10-wheeler truck transporting sugarcane planting materials. Captain Marlon C. Subrian, Officer-in-Charge of the local police station, stated that the minor driving the motorcycle appeared to have panicked and lost control of the vehicle upon spotting the large truck.

The motorcycle toppled onto the roadway, causing all three children to fall directly into the path of the truck's rear wheels. The victims were run over by the heavy vehicle and were declared dead at the scene due to catastrophic injuries. Personnel from the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO) responded immediately, but there was nothing emergency crews could do to save the young lives.

The scene was overwhelmed with grief as local residents, parents, and relatives broke down in tears upon confirming the identities of the deceased children.

The truck driver initially surrendered to the Damulog police following the accident. While he was taken into police custody, authorities later indicated that he was released after both parties reached a mutual agreement.

In the wake of this deadly collision, local law enforcement and disaster management officials have reissued urgent warnings to parents and guardians regarding the dangers of underage driving. Captain Subrian strongly emphasized that allowing minors to operate motor vehicles without proper training, licensing, or safety awareness on public roads continues to pose severe risks to the youth and frequently results in preventable traffic tragedies.