41 killed in Benguet bus accident
Sablan, Benguet — A La Union bound bus fell into a 30-meter deep ravine in Barangay Banangan after the driver lost control over the brakes while maneuvering a curve. Forty-one passengers were killed, with thirteen still being unidentified as of press time.
Police identified some of the fatalities as:
Johnson Dimalanta, Frederick and Rose Quinos and their children Nicole and Michael, Berio Almasen, Carlos Angeles, Amethyst Calado, Enrique Hao, Renato Limid, Rex Arsichu, Constantino Casugay, Glen Lustica, Octavio Polon, Francisco Sales, Jon Laigo, Joy Combis, Pastora Daweg, Marlon Paleg, Gabino Pilay, Pablito Diocenes, Roger Torida and Karen Mae Piluden. Bus driver Romeo Subang Jr., died while being treated in the hospital.
Only seven people survived the mishap and were identified as:
Sonny Ayaten, Desiree Jura, Arnel Paras, Juantri Gutcha, Jay Angelo, bus conductor John Patrick Flores
and an unidentified man.
Flores narrated that Subang was negotiating a sharp curve while trying to shift to second gear but lost control of the bus. He said the driver tried to prevent the disaster by ramming the bus on concrete barriers along the roadside to slow down its descent but failed.
Sensing danger, Flores said he jumped out of the vehicle before it fell into the ravine.
Benguet governor Nestor Fongwan immediately informed the Provicial Disaster and Coordinating Council and personally supervised the rescue and retrieval operations.
Over 50 people from the Provincial Government, local police and Philippine Army took part in the operations.
Meanwhile, The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) suspended the ESO-Nice franchisee for a month pending investigation of the regional office of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DoTC).
