Davao bus death toll climbs to 38

COTABATO CITY – The death toll in the Christmas Day accident that sent an overloaded bus down a rocky ravine in Bansalan town in Davao del Sur rose to 38 yesterday.

Police said at least six seriously injured passengers died overnight and several more remain in critical condition because of the accident, which saw the bus flipping three times down the ravine.

The crash killed 23 people instantly and nine died within a few hours after being taken to the hospital, police added.

The fatalities included a six-year-old girl and a 12-year-old boy.

In Manila, Dante Lantin, Land Transportation and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) chairman, told reporters yesterday the agency will revoke the franchise of the bus operator, Weena Express, if investigation proved that the accident was caused by negligence and the vehicle’s substandard maintenance condition.

"We’ll determine if this bus still deserves to be on the road," he said. "We also want to make sure that the victims and their families will receive enough compensation from the company."

Police said the bus had a passenger capacity of 60 but was overcrowded, with some passengers standing in the aisle. Many of the passengers were traveling to spend Christmas with their relatives.

Witnesses told radio station dxND that the driver apparently sped up to avoid being overtaken on the curve and lost control of the steering wheel when the other bus hit him from behind.

Police said the bus sped along a hillside curve when another bus raced to overtake it, hit it in the rear and drove it off the 13-meter embankment.

The bus was traveling between the cities of Davao and Cotabato when the accident occurred, police added. – Sheila Crisostomo