5 killed, 35 injured in another bus mishap

Pagbilao, Quezon, Philippines  – Another tragedy befell a passenger bus, this time in this municipality before dawn yesterday, killing at least five passengers and injuring 35 others.

The CUL bus with license plate TWV 912 and driven by Oscar Yadawon Pedrigosa, 36, was cruising the zigzag road in Barangay Silangang Malicboy when it plunged into a ravine at around 2:45 a.m.

Police said the bus had come from Tacloban City in Leyte and was on its way to Cubao, Quezon City when it met the accident.

Some of the victims were rushed to the Jane Country Hospital and the Quezon Medical Center in Lucena City.

Other reports said 39 passengers sustained injuries in the accident.

Law enforcers and personnel of the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council under Dr. Henry Buzar and the Department of Public Works and Highways under district engineer Ronnel Tan joined hands to retrieve the bodies of the fatalities and give assistance to those injured.

A series of bus tragedies has been reported since June, including a bus carrying Iranian students that fell into a ravine in Cebu, killing 20 of the foreigners.

Last Aug. 18, another bus fell off a cliff in Benguet, killing 42 people.

Recently, former Binibining Pilipinas International Melody Gersbach was killed together with a fashion designer and their driver when a passenger bus rammed into their car in Camarines Sur.