Injured Cebu students released from hospitals

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines  — The 19 Cebu students who suffered injuries when the mini-bus they were riding fell into a 15-meter deep ravine in Don Salvador Benedicto town, Negros Occidental Saturday, were discharged from the hospitals Sunday.

PO3 Edgar Corteza, traffic investigator of the Don Salvador Benedicto Police Station, said they received information that all the injured students were discharged from the hospitals and some were even able to attend the scheduled leadership training camp at the Don Bosco Retreat House in Mambukal Resort in Murcia town, Negros Occidental.

Of the 19 students, 17 were treated as outpatients for minor injuries, while two others were kept overnight for observation but were released the following day, Corteza said.

The injured students were part of the delegation to the Marian Youth Congress in Mambukal Resort. They were from the Don Bosco Youth Center of the Archdiocesan Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes in Punta Princesa, Cebu City.

The other students and nuns, who were onboard another Don Bosco bus, arrived in Mambukal Resort and went on with the training.

The delegation was picked up at the San Carlos City port by two buses of the Don Bosco Technical Institute in Victorias City to bring them to Mambukal Resort, Corteza said.

Corteza said the driver of the bus, Francis Ledesma of Canetown Victorias City, who sustained minor injuries in the forehead, is still being detained at the Don Salvador Benedicto police station pending the filing of charges of reckless imprudence resulting to damage to property and serious physical injuries against him.

The police official however said they were still waiting for a formal complaint from the injured students or their families, otherwise the police could not file charges against Ledesma.

Negros Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. yesterday said he will talk to the personnel of the Department of Public Works and Highways in-charge of the Don Salvador Benedicto highway to put up signage in the area so similar accidents could be avoided in the future.

Corteza however said the DPWH had already put up several signage in the Kilometer 41 Purok Talos in Brgy. Igmaya-an warning motorists, but these got destroyed whenever accidents happen there.

He added that the area has been prone to accidents due to its winding roads, putting at risk drivers who are unfamiliar with its terrain.    - THE FREEMAN