SLEX mishap leaves 4 dead

Four people were killed while nine others were hurt in a vehicular accident along the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) in Sucat, Parañaque City yesterday morning.

Prober PO3 Elmer Pascual of the Philippine National Police-Traffic Management Group said that around 5:30 a.m., a shuttle bus hit a passenger jeepney while overtaking another vehicle along the southbound lane.

The impact was so strong that the jeepney rammed the railing separating the highway from the service road, Pascual explained.

Dead on the spot at the Ospital ng Muntinlupa were Romulo Ramores, 30; Roberto Puod, 45, and Edmar Lalong Isip, 15, while another victim, Jelo Astellero, 47, died upon arrival at the Philippine General Hospital. All of them were passengers of the jeepney (DTY-489), which was bound for Lipa City, Batangas. They were all laborers on their way to a construction site.

The driver of the Goldline bus (NXP-123) identified as Olympio Cornelio, 32, was trying to overtake an Elf truck when it hit the rear of the jeepney, which was traveling slowly at the rightmost lane of the SLEX.

Six passengers of the jeepney and another four from the bus sustained injuries and were rushed to various hospitals.

The passengers of the bus were employees of the American Standard, makers of bathroom fixtures. They were on their way to work at a plant in BF Homes, Las Piñas City.

"Most of the victims were sleeping when the incident happened, Pascual said.

Pascual said they will charge Cornelio with reckless imprudence resulting to multiple homicide.