It happened shortly past noon on Friday, February 13, 2026, on a steep downhill curve in Barangay Napangan, in the town of Don Victoriano, Misamis Occidental. A police mobile patrol vehicle left the road and dropped off a cliff. Five people did not survive.
The vehicle was part of the security detail for the people running a national beauty pageant. Ten people were aboard. Seven came from the 2nd Provincial Mobile Force Company, and three were civilians working for the Provincial Tourism Office. Police said the driver reportedly struggled to control the vehicle on the bend as it came down the hill.
The dead
Four of the dead were officers: PSSg Vilcon Tuyan Macabugto, Pat. Neljie Arsula Marban, Pat. Rudilyn Ruiz Pacut and Pat. Louel Geraga Cordova. The fifth was a tourism office employee, Fortich Cristine. Other passengers were hurt and taken to nearby hospitals. When GMA Regional TV first filed its report, it counted four dead and three more people in critical condition, so the final toll rose after that.
Local officials spoke of deep sorrow. The people on board, they noted, were doing their jobs when the vehicle went over.
What investigators are checking
Police have opened an investigation. Investigators are examining the mechanical condition of the patrol vehicle as well as the safety features of the road itself. Mountain roads in Misamis Occidental are known for sharp curves and steep inclines, and the crash has brought fresh calls for stricter safety measures on them.
The Philippine National Police has promised to help the families of the officers and of the civilian employee. It is also reviewing its protocols for convoy operations on difficult terrain.
Sources
- 5 dead as police security vehicle falls off cliff in Misamis Occidental (GMA News)
- PNP patrol vehicle plunges off Misamis Occidental cliff, killing 5 (Diskurso PH)
