Accident taught us lesson – bus owner

CEBU, Philippines - The operator of Jegan’s Bus Liner admitted that last Saturday’s accident taught them an important lesson that all of their buses must be well-maintained and regularly checked and their drivers must be competent enough.

Estrella Yapha said drivers must be reminded that they should be careful in their trips.

“Inigsakay sa truck, naay daghan nga kinabuhi sila nga gidala. Dili dapat magpakusog og dagan,” she said.

Initial investigation revealed that the crash was caused by human error and not because of brake failure as earlier claimed by driver Allan Pastidio.

Pastidio reportedly failed to undergo actual driving assessment of the Technical Education Skills Development Administration (TESDA) and was only trained by his fellow drivers.

Estrella’s husband, Antonio appeared at the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board-7 hearing yesterday and submitted a list of the victims and the assistance that they have given as well as the police report on the incident.

Estrella told The FREEMAN that the insurance company of the bus released yesterday P75,000 cash to the relatives of those who died and P15,000 to the injured victims.

Estrella did not disclose how much personal money they have spent for the victims.

“Kada-adlaw mi naghatag, wala lang namo apila ang tambal og kwenta,” she said in a phone interview.

As of yesterday, out of the 42 victim, only 13 remain confined at the Don Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center.

Pastidio, who was charged with reckless imprudence resulting in multiple homicide and multiple physical injuries, was released from jail yesterday after posting bail of P30,000.

Pastidio was brought before the Prosecutor’s Office for inquest proceedings last Monday.

He did not file his counter-affidavit to answer the allegations and opted to face the case in court.

Meanwhile, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) 7 Regional Director Ahmed Cuizon clarified that there is no politics involved in the suspension of only three buses instead of the entire fleet of Jegan’s Bus Liner.

“Under the old LTFRB rules, an entire fleet will be suspended if an accident happened. But under the new rules which took effect on June 11, 2011, only buses within the franchise will be suspended. Coincidental lang ni. I personally don’t know the Yaphas,” Cuizon explained during the 888 News Forum yesterday.

Jegan’s Bus Liner has eleven buses, of which only nine are operating. With the suspension of their three buses, they are left with six buses running.

Rep. Pablo John Garcia of the third district of Cebu earlier questioned LTFRB’s move saying the entire fleet was supposed to be suspended following the accident.

The Yaphas and the Garcias are political rivals.

The Yaphas are allied with the Liberal Party while the Garcias belong to the One Cebu Party, an ally of the United Nationalists Alliance.

Pablo John is running for governor against LP’s Hilario Davide III while Pinamungajan Mayor Geraldin Yapha, daughter of Antonio and Estrella, is running as representative of the third district against Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia.——(FREEMAN)