6 dead, 31 hurt in EDSA bus mishap

MANILA, Philippines - Six persons were killed and 31 others were hurt when a bus rear-ended another bus at the southbound EDSA-Magallanes bus loading bay in Makati City yesterday morning.

The six fatalities, four men and two women, were apparently alighting from the Alabang-bound MGB Transport bus (NXV-360) at about 6:41 a.m. when the Baclaran-bound Elena Lines bus (TXN-191) smashed into the first bus, said Alvin Pescador of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Metrobase.

One of the victims was sandwiched between the buses, Pescador said.

Lamberto Singular, Osias Mata Jr., Senior Police Officer 1 Laurence Blay Navaro and Fernando Sison died on the spot.

One of the women, Jesamine Mae Meneses, was also killed on the spot while the second woman, who remains unidentified, died upon arrival at the Makati Medical Center.

The fatalities were taken to the Veronica Funeral Homes in Pasay City.

About 31 others, including Elena bus driver Antonio Dalag, were hurt.

Rescue workers from the city government and the MMDA rushed the injured to the Ospital ng Makati, where they were treated for fractures, lacerations and minor abrasions.

The smashup caused a traffic jam that slowed southbound traffic along EDSA from Cubao to Magallanes, the MMDA said.

The two buses were removed from the Magallanes loading bay at around 9:22 a.m., the MMDA said.

Pescador said the incident was not captured by the MMDA’s closed-circuit television camera mounted on the Magallanes interchange as its view was blocked by the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) terminal.

The Makati traffic police is investigating the incident, the MMDA said.

Meanwhile, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board has issued a preventive suspension order covering 21 Elena Lines buses. LTFRB chairman Winston Ginez said the order will last for 30 days as the board hears the cases against Elena Lines.

He said the bus firm will be required to have their buses undergo roadworthiness tests and their drivers tested for illegal drugs. He added that the firm will also be told to explain why it should not be sanctioned for the accident. – With Reinir Padua