Charges readied vs driver of killer bus

SAN FABIAN, Pangasinan — Police are readying charges against the driver of a Victory Liner bus which smashed into a jeepney carrying excursionists from Baguio City here last Saturday night, resulting in the deaths of 18 people and injuries to 24 others.

Bus driver Senecio Panitan Jr. escaped after the incident but the police, acting on a tip, arrested him Sunday night while he was being treated in a Dagupan City hospital, Chief Inspector Genaro Sapiera, San Fabian police chief, said.

Panitan said he fled after the victims’ companions, who were riding in separate jeepneys, beat him up.

"I was trying to help the victims but they (beat me up). If I did not escape, I could have been killed," he told dzSD Super Radyo Dagupan in Tagalog.

Sapiera said they are now gathering the statements of the survivors for the filing of charges of reckless imprudence resulting in homicide and slight and serious physical injuries against Panitan.

Last Sunday afternoon, Baguio City Mayor Braulio Yaranon visited the injured in hospitals in Agoo town and San Fernando City in La Union to facilitate their return to Baguio, Sapiera said.

The victims, all residents of Loakan, Baguio City, were riding in four jeepneys. They had come from an outing at a beach here to celebrate the graduation of two of their relatives, when they met the tragedy. The two graduates survived as they were in the other jeepneys.

The Victory Liner bus was en route to Dagupan City from Baguio when it rammed the jeepney carrying those killed, who included a two-year-old girl and a five-year-old boy.