Bus falls off cliff; 19 students hurt

CEBU, Philippines - At least 19 students from Cebu City were injured when the school bus they were riding fell into a 15-meter deep ravine in Barangay Igmaya-an, Don Salvador Benedicto, Negros Occidental yesterday morning.

PO3 Edgar Corteza, traffic investigator of Don Salvador Benedicto Police Station, said the bus was carrying more than 20 students when the incident happened around 11:15 a.m.

He said those injured were brought to different hospitals in Murcia and Bacolod City while those who suffered minor bruises opted not to seek hospital treatment.

Corteza said the students were delegates to the Marian Youth Congress from Don Bosco Youth Center of the Archdiocesan Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes in Punta Princesa, Cebu City.

The students were on their way to hold a camping at the Mambukal Resort when the incident happened, Corteza said.

He said they could not determine the exact number of students in the bus but rescuers rushed eight seriously injured to the Bacolod Adventist Church Sanitarium.

Sustaining serious injuries were John Michael Torrefiel, 16; Edna Balbuena, 26; Ralph Padilla, 20; Noel Malinao, 17, James Gallarde, 18; Judeen Mahipos, 20; Jeanette Solomon, 26; and Lewbi Laborte, 18.

Those with minor injuries were Maria Teresa Pipino, 19; Chona Fer Barbadillo, 21; Shalo Mel Tundag, 15; Jonnie Lambon, 20; Hazel Yap, 18; Catherine Ergina, 15; Iris Barbadillo, 19; Phi Chanteuss Ylaga, 20; Kathleen Pañares, 22; Eduardo Impelis, 20; and Niño Bautista, 20.

Police said residents of Purok Talos in Barangay Igmaya-an helped in the rescue efforts.

Corteza said the bus that figured in the accident was one of the two buses of Don Bosco Technical Institute in Victorias City, Negros Occidental that picked up the students in San Carlos City.

Nuns and ‘brothers’ of Don Bosco were onboard the other bus.

He described as a newly furbished the ill-fated bus, an Isuzu minibus bearing plate number FFR-984.

While traveling, the brakes suddenly malfunctioned, forcing the bus to crash into the roadside railing and fall into the ravine. It landed face first until it rested on its left side.

“The area is prone to incident because of its location and due to its steepness,” Corteza.

The driver, Francis Ledesma, 39, of Canetown Victorias City, is now detained at the Don Salvador Benedicto Police Station.

Tomorrow, police will file charges of reckless imprudence resulting in damage to property and serious physical injuries against Ledesma. 

In May last year, two persons were killed and 10 others were injured when a Ceres bus fell into a 60-meter deep ravine in San Carlos City, which is situated next to Don Salvador Benedicto. –/LPM (FREEMAN)