Bicolana Beauty Dies in CamSur Road Mishap

CAMP ELIAS ANGELES, Pili, Camarines Sur - Three people including a Bicolana beauty title holder, perished in a road mishap in Camarines Sur today, a police report said.

Melody Gersbach, Bb Pilipinas International 2009 title holder and three other companions were heading towards Naga City when their red Toyota Innova (with plate number NTQ 364) collided with a passenger bus along the Maharlika highway in Pawili village of Bula town at around 11:45am.

Gersbach, 24, and two other companions identified as Alden "Owen" Orense, her make-up artist, and Santos "Dodong" Ramos, the vehicle driver, were declared 'dead-on-the-spot' by responding policemen who rushed to the scene of the accident.

The Innova van was a 'total wreck' as described by onlookers. No one was reported injured among the bus passengers.

The lone survivor, identified as a certain Ronald Lita, was immediately brought to Bicol Medical Center in Naga City. He is reported to be in critical condition as of press time.

Gersbach was supposed to attend the Ms Bicolandia Executive Committee meeting held in Avenue Plaza hotel in Naga City.

Her remains was brought to her hometown in Daraga, Albay where she is residing.

The cadavers of Orense and Ramos were initially brought to Funeraria Del Carmen in Naga City.

Wilson Pontillas, the driver of the Guevarra bus (with plate number EVG 121) which figured in the accident, voluntarily surrendered to the municipal police station in Pili town.

Pontillas was said to be trying to avoid a tricycle along the highway when it rammed into the Toyota Innova van from the opposite direction.