One dead, three hurt after car hits bus

CEBU, Philippines - One person was killed while three others were injured when a Honda Civic collided with a Ceres bus around 7 a.m. yesterday on the national highway of Barangay Pasol, Alcoy town.

This was the third vehicular accident in Cebu Province since last Wednesday.

The fatality, Alvin Legaspi, who seated beside the driver of the Honda Civic, was declared dead by Dr. Max Tang, who assisted the victims at the scene.

Those injured were identified as Emmanuel Navarete, the driver of the Honda Civic with license plate numbers WCL-532; Rommel Rodriguez and Jerome Carungay, all from Barangay Poblacion, Dalaguete.

They were rushed to the Dr. Ildefonso Alcantara Hospital in Dalaguete and were later transferred to the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center in Cebu City for further treatment.

Now detained at the Alcoy stockade is Anthony Oriendo, 36, of Tagmanocan, Siquijor town, the driver of the Ceres bus with license plate numbers GWK-142.

A case for reckless imprudence resulting in homicide and multiple physical injuries is now being prepared against him.

SPO1 Joel Caballero, traffic investigator, said that Ceres bus, which had no passengers at the time, was traveling towards Cebu City while the Honda Civic was heading toward Barangay Poblacion when the incident happened.

Upon reaching on a curved portion of the road, the Honda Civic reportedly encroached into the opposite lane after failing to notice the approaching bus, leading to the collision.

“Sa among pag-imbestigar ngadto ang awto man gyud ang nikawat og lugar,” Caballero said in a phone interview.

The victims suffered injuries to the head and different parts of their bodies, but Legaspi’s injuries were more severe. The three others were unconscious when taken to the hospital.

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board-7 has suspended three Ceres bus liners that fall under the same franchise as the bus that figured in the accident.

LTFRB regional director Ahmed Cuizon said that three Ceres buses with franchise number 07-0086 of the Vallacarta Transit Inc., were suspended immediately right after the accident.

The Ceres buses will be suspended for 30 days.

“We suspended the three buses immediately, effective today right after the accident because we already receive the report. It will be 30 days suspension,” said Cuizon yesterday.

“Whenever it is involving public utility, our decision is of public safety, reason why we suspended the bus regardless ug kon kinsa ang sad-an,” Cuizon clarified.

As part of LTFRB’s standard operating procedure, the drivers will undergo safety seminars, their buses will also undergo roadworthiness test.

Cuizon said with the series of road accidents that have happened these past few days, they reminded bus operators since of safety precautions.

“We had been briefing the operators on our safety reminders. They should disseminate this to their drivers,” said Cuizon.

He added that it is already a requirement for the operators once they will renew their franchises to show documents proving that their drivers underwent the safety seminars conducted by Technical Education and Skills Development Authority.

Last Wednesday, 10 people died and 53 others were injured when a prime mover ploughed into a BT bus in Barangay Uling, Naga City.

Two days later, a passenger jeepney rammed a dump truck parked along the national highway in Barangay Magdugo, Toledo City, which killed two people and injured 15 others.

Cuizon said that Passenger Accident Management and Insurance Agency already started giving insurance yesterday to the families of the 11 fatalities of the Naga accident.

Instead of the P40,000 insurance, PAMI had given P35,000 since they were only able to withdraw the cash insurance for 10 people and another one fatality was added, so the cash withdrawn were divided according to the number of fatalities.  –(FREEMAN)