ABUCAY, BATAAN—A trailer truck carrying 2,000 sacks of rice overturned on Friday along the Roman Highway in Sitio Malaking Bato, Abucay, injuring two people and causing a major spill of its cargo.
The 25-kilogram sacks, labeled “Thailand Premium Rice Corona Royal,” were scattered across the road, with several bags crushed and their contents spilling onto the pavement.
According to the truck driver, the rice was being transported from the Port of Orion to San Simon, Pampanga. He claimed the truck overturned after the vehicle’s right side gave way, reportedly due to improper stacking of the cargo.
While the driver waited for another vehicle to transfer the remaining sacks, two truck helpers were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment of their injuries.
Authorities from the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) are investigating the incident. They aim to verify if the shipment has the proper documentation and to determine whether the rice may have been smuggled.
This mishap comes three years after a major interception of smuggled rice at the Port of Orion, where thousands of sacks of rice bound for other areas were confiscated.