5 dead, 15 hurt as bus rams truck in Camsur

MANILA, Philippines -  Five persons, including a two year old boy, were killed while 15 others were hurt after a passenger bus rammed a 10-wheeler in Camarines Sur Wednesday dawn.

Quoting police investigation, a radio report identified the fatalities as Alexander Belen of Bagacay, Albay; Arneli Darcullo of San Jose del Monte, Bulacan;  his two year old son Kevin; Jason Purita of San Miguel, Tabaco,  Albay; and Cindy Garcia of Concepcion, Marikina City.
 
Meanwhile, the report said that the injured passengers were brought to the Bicol Medical Center for treatment.

Initial report showed that a Bragais bus was speeding along the National Highway in Brgy. Bigcal, Libmanan, Camarines Sur around 4 a.m. when it hit a stalled 10-wheeler truck whose compressor malfunctioned.

The bus was bound for Naga City when the accident happened. There was no early warning device placed in the area to caution oncoming vehicles of the stalled truck, the report added.

Police Supt. Vicente Marfori said the driver of the bus from Manila is under investigation at the police station of Libmanan town, where the accident happened.

The whole right side of the bus was dislodged by the collision.

Marfori said the driver of the truck was in shock in a hospital.

The four-day Easter week holidays officially start Thursday but vacationers have already started traveling to the provinces for the long break.

Road accidents are common in remote areas in the Philippines, largely because of poor vehicle maintenance, bad road conditions and poor implementation of safety measures. - with AP