Six people were dead and 13 others were injured in a road mishap along the Maguindanao del Norte national highway.

According to Datu Odin Sinsuat traffic investigator Sgt. Benjamin Bedo, the highway crash happened in Barangay Kurinte, involving a pickup truck, a loaded passenger van, and a tricycle.

Bedo added that the five fatalities were on board the passenger van, supposedly on their way to attend a family reunion in Maguindanao del Sur when the incident happened.

The deceased were identified as Unasan Kaul, the van's driver, and his passengers Norhaimin Baloadek, Manaut Guialudin, Kaidu Malsal, and Mamakong Salimbao.

Meanwhile, the pickup truck driver, named Bomber Gani, was declared dead on arrival at a hospital in Cotabato City, while the tricycle driver was critically injured.

Bedo added that the pickup vehicle was headed to South Cotabato province when it hit a tricycle on the same lane before it crashed head-on with the passenger van.