Tagaytay car crash: Victims were graduating Jr. HS students, had no licenses

The teenagers who died in a car crash early Sunday morning were graduating junior high school students who didn't have drivers' licenses.

According to a report by Steve Dailisan on GMA-7’s "24 Oras" on Monday, the victims who were aged 15 to 16 years old were on their last months as Grade 10 students before moving up to Grade 11 to start their senior high school.

The victims were John Russel Garcia, 15; John Paul Tena, 15; Kirby Bokingo, 16; Jaymee Gubaton, 16; Lauren Bren Calabines, 16; and Rodalyn Bautista, 17. Calabines was identified as the driver of the car.

Tena’s aunt Tessie Esperanza said that the group came from her house before the accident happened.

"Sana nagising ako noong time na umalis siya para napigilan ko. Pero hindi ko naramdaman kasi na umalis sila eh. Kung naramdaman ko lang, hindi ako papayag kasi kargo ko siya eh," she said.

Tagaytay City Police Chief Supt. Ferdinand Quirante took the opportunity to remind parents to keep an eye on their teenage children. 

"That would be a lesson learned sa mga magulang na they have to keep a watchful eye sa kanilang mga tinatawag na anak lalung-lalo na ang mga minor at hindi payagan na makapagmaneho," he said.

According to a witness, a red 2015 Toyota Vios was running fast along a highway before it crashed into a barrier and onto a tree. The car then burst into flames. Respondents, unfortunately, were not able to save the victims.

Authorities are ruling out mechanical failure as the cause of accident. The strong impact might have created a spark that ignited the explosion, they said.

The bodies of the victims have already undergone autopsy. —Trisha Macas/JST, GMA News