AT least 11 people were killed after a small truck packed with partygoers, including children, overturned in southern Philippines, said police today.

The vehicle was travelling to a beachside resort for a postponed Christmas party on Mindanao yesterday, when the driver lost control after the brakes apparently failed on a downhill section of road.

About 50 people were crammed into the truck, most of them in the open tray, when it veered off the road and into a tree.

The vehicle then flipped over onto a pile of rocks, said Balingasag police chief Teodoro De Oro.

He said 11 people were killed, including a 3-year-old child, adding that police are seeking to confirm another three deaths.

Scores of other passengers were injured, including a dozen children. The driver, who was hurt and tried to hide after receiving medical treatment, was arrested and will face charges.

De Oro said the vehicle is part of a convoy of three trucks, but the other two were not involved in the accident.

Deadly road crashes are common in the Philippines, where drivers frequently flout the rules and vehicles are poorly maintained or overloaded.

In 2019, 19 farmers were killed when a truck carrying them and sacks of rice seeds plunged backwards down a deep ravine in the mountainous northern Philippines. – AFP, January 13, 2022.