CEBU, Philippines - Department of Interior and Local Government Regional Director Pedro Noval issued a memorandum yesterday morning to all mayors of various towns and cities in the region discouraging the use of their dump trucks to transport passengers to avoid further incidents like what happened in Barili town last Thursday.
Noval said he also directed all mayors to conduct a periodic maintenance checkup on all municipal-owned vehicles to determine its roadworthiness.
He added that all drivers of such vehicles must attend seminars conducted by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, Land Transportation Office and the Civil Service Commission.
The LTO and the PNP will determine if Barili Mayor Teresito Mariñas is liable for what happened after he permitted the use of the truck.
“Posible siguro duna siya’y liability kay siya may nitugot ato even if the vehicle is not intended for such purpose,” Noval said.
The Government Service Insurance System cannot release the insurance of the dump truck since the vehicle was not used in accordance to its purpose.
“Para karga man to ug anapog, kargahanan ug construction materials and for garbage collection,” Noval further said.
Cebu Provincial Police Office director Patrocinio Comendador said a municipal ordinance should be implemented in the town with regards to the use of such a vehicle so the PNP can apprehend offending drivers.
Alwin Bayno, 37, of Barangay Lupo, was driving the town-owned dump truck with license plate numbers SHW-781 that killed ten persons and injured about 50 more after it lost its brakes and fell on its side in Barangay Balao.
Only 39 of the victims are still confined at the Barili District Hospital and at the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center in Cebu City.
The passengers of the truck, all residents of Barangay Kangdampas, were on their way to bury the remains of Tranquilina Imit at the public cemetery of Barangay Poblacion when the incident happened.
Kangdampas Barangay Captain Leonardo Iñigo Sr. was tailing the truck in his own vehicle and witnessed the accident.
He said before reaching a sloping road at the boundary of Barangays Budbod and Balao, the driver stopped the truck and poured brake fluid before he proceeded.
While the truck was traveling, Iñigo noticed that somebody onboard jumped off the road and later the truck swerved left and slump on the ground throwing some of the passengers off.
Bayno claimed he had noticed that the vehicle had a brake problem, but he thought he could handle it by adding fluid. He added that he lost control of the vehicle after the rubber cap exploded.
The casket of Imit fell to the ground and was taken to the cemetery onboard another vehicle however, but electrical problems prompted them to stop and request for a third vehicle.
The remains were buried almost 4 p.m.
Mariñas assured the families of the deceased that they will be given burial assistance and additional monetary assistance. Those who were injured will be given hospitalization assistance.
Seminars for drivers
Drivers hired by LGUs will attend a seminar on traffic laws, rules and regulations, road safety and preventive maintenance next month.
Land Transportation Office-7 Regional Director Raul Aguilos said LGU drivers are required and are prioritized to attend the said seminar.
Aguilos said they have been regularly conducting the seminar designed for government drivers in Central Visayas, even sending out invitations to LGU drivers, but only a few would attend.
“Karon, priority nato sila, i-require gyud namo sila na mo-attend,” he said.
Emergency response system
The Province of Cebu and the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center are planning to set up a one province-wide emergency system to respond emergency situation following the tragedy in Barili.
The plan was announced to the media by Dr. Gerardo Aquino, the hospital director of VSMMC after Garcia and brother, third district Rep. Pablo John Garcia, visited the patients yesterday.
Aquino said the system will respond to emergencies on site and doctors can already provide pre-hospital needs to minimize deaths.
“Wa na magkwenta og makabayad ba ni, asa man ni ikolekta, wa na na igbali, ingon sila emergency dapat ihatag ang tambal ug ang medical services nga gikinahanglan,” Governor Garcia said.
While she thanked VSMMC, Garcia also thanked the other municipalities who sent their ambulances to help the victims. Aquino said the quick delivery of the patients to the hospital was able to minimize the number of mortalities.
The patients were confined at the St. Arnold Janssen Trauma Center of VSMMC which is equipped with the trauma equipments. Four of the patients are still in critical condition.
“They were ready, more importantly they were willing to help. I would like to emphasize that this is very tragic incident. The most important thing immediately is to address the victims,” Garcia said as she and Pablo John are focusing now.
“We talked immediately with the governor. Our focus is to assure the victims to help sa galastohan. Immediate thing kinahanglan buhaton,” Pablo John said, he added he was also impressed by VSMMC for organizing a very good trauma system addressing emergency situation. (FREEMAN)