17 dead as bus falls into Mt. Province ravine

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines– Seventeen people, including two foreigners, were killed while 31 others were injured when a bus plunged into a 150-meter-deep ravine in Bontoc, Mountain Province early yesterday morning.

Officials of the Army’s Isabela-based 5th Infantry Division confirmed that there were fatalities after the Florida Trans bus with license plate TXT 872 fell into the ravine while negotiating a steep stretch of the mountain highway in sitio Pagang, Barangay Talubin in Bontoc.

The bus that originated from the Florida Trans terminal in Sampaloc, Manila was on its way to Bontoc when the accident occurred at around 7:20 a.m.

The Army said soldiers were deployed to the site to assist police and other rescue teams from Mountain Province, Ifugao and Nueva Vizcaya.

Mountain Province police director Senior Superintendent Oliver Enmodias said among those killed were Canadian Alex Anders Loring and Anne Van de Ven from the Netherlands.

Some of the Filipino fatalities were identified as Marcial Bernard Jr., Andrew David Sicam, Natividad Ngawa, Gerald Baja, Ana Alaba, and Arvin Jimenez.

GMA News’ 24 Oras reported that Jimenez is also known as the comedian Tado.

Enmodias said that bus driver Edgar Renon survived and was taken to the Bontoc General Hospital along with the other injured victims. Renon could help shed light on the cause of the accident.

Aside from Renon, the other injured victims include another Dutch citizen Annenmik Veerwege, 32; Agung Sikam, 7; Aloy Atin, 24; James Papsao, 38; Carina Havier, 38; Basilan Miluardo Baranhuat, 43; Abegail Sikam, Edgar Ramon, 30; Roberto Conrado, 45; Natty Bang-I, 57; Kristina de Leon, Christian Cavardo, 34; Bernard Burnhard, 25; Camille Osorio, 28; Melchor Suagen, 22; Teresita Sawad, 51; Silvestre Dawey, 22; Jerymiah Agnapan, 34; Winslaw Cariño, 30; Michell Legrito, 27; Dun Chavez, 30; Jason Melchor, 38; Charlie Santamaria, 32; Peng Cordove, 32; Olivia Aglipay, 27; Estrella Embede, Demetria Danilo, and Christian Sibrevilla, a certain Codiamat and Ammik.

The victims are now being treated at the Bontoc General Hospital.

Enmodias said elements of the Mountain Province provincial police, Army soldiers, the Bontoc Emergency Response Team, non-government organizations, and concerned citizens of Barangay Talubin have joined the rescue operations.

Police said the bus had 42 passengers, the driver, a reserve driver and a conductor.

Nine passengers reportedly died on the spot as a result of the impact that tore off the roof of the bus.

The other fatalities died at the hospital.

Bus franchise suspension

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) is poised to sus-pend the franchise of Florida TRANS bus company, whose unit figured in the fatal crash in Bontoc.

It is protocol for the board to impose a 30-day preventive suspension on bus companies involved in fatal mishaps.

LTFRB chairman Winston Ginez said they were await- ing the official report from their office in the Cordillera Administrative Region before imposing the suspension. – With Cecille Suerte Felipe, Reinir Padua