Guard dead, 46 injured in SLEX mishap

LAGUNA, Philippines  – A security guard died while 46 others were injured when a bus rear-ended a trailer truck along the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) in San Pedro City in this province yesterday morning.

Jonathan Factorin of Cabuyao City, Laguna died at the scene while the injured victims were brought to different hospitals for treatment, according to Inspector Roselle Orate, spokesperson for the Laguna police.

Orate said the victims suffered bruises, fractures and contusions.

Factorin was among the passengers of the AB Liner Mandigma headed for Calamba City.

Bus driver Benito Antig said the truck made a sudden stop, causing the bus to hit it at around 6:30 a.m.

Truck driver Maylo Bitoon told police he was about to pull over when the bus rear-ended  his truck.

A bus passenger denied Antig’s claim, saying he fell asleep as he was driving.

Case investigator Police Officer 3 Farissa Musama said they have yet to determine the cause of the accident. 

Miner dies in Benguet accident

Meanwhile, a miner died while his cousin was injured when their truck fell into a ravine in Itogon, Benguet on Sunday.

Tony Balbino, 40, died at the scene, while Roel Bandos, 25, suffered a fracture in the arm.

Investigators believe Bandos fell asleep as he was driving the Isuzu Elf truck (WRJ 233) along the highway in Barangay Ampucao.

On the same day, eight-year-old Aces Batalang was injured after a pickup truck hit him in Barangay Tuding, also in Itogon.

Batalang was crossing the road in Sitio Slide when an Isuzu D-Max  (ZNK-811) driven by Dave Amos, 21, hit him.

Amos rushed the boy to the hospital for treatment. – Ed Amoroso, Arnell Ozaeta, Artemio Dumlao, Raymund Catindig