Charges filed vs. driver of ill-fated Sambag 1 bus

CEBU, Philippines - The driver of the bus that swerved off the road and plunged down a cliff in barangay Busay last April 22 has been charged with reckless imprudence resulting in double homicide before the City Prosecutors Office yesterday.

Charges were filed against Rufino Ginigobis Secretaria by the Cebu City Traffic Group after two of the bus’ passengers Margie Mabini and Jessan Glenego died in the accident.

More than 40 passengers were also injured in the accident.

The police are also set to file charges of multiple physical injuries and damage to property charges against the driver.

What would have been a summer beach outing for members of the Legion of Mary of barangay Babag just 20 minutes since they left the mountain barangay supposedly for Danao City.

Mabini was president of Reyna sa Kalinaw, Legion of Mary, a parish organization.

The mini-bus was carrying 51 people, mostly members of the Marian devotees group, with friends and relatives, when the vehicle fell down a 30-meter ravine in sitio Maaslom, barangay Busay.

The vehicle had fetched passengers from the mountain barangay of Babag and was heading downhill to the city.

Jessan, 6, was already dead when rescuers brought him to the hospital. He was the last to be pulled out of the bus. The impact pushed him to the front of the vehicle.

Jessan was seated on the fourth row beside his father, who was also injured.

Margie was in the front seat leading the group in praying the rosary for protection and guidance.

According to the traffic investigators, the vehicle lost its brakes after the oil seal of the right rear tire exploded.

It took rescuers several hours to pull everyone out of the wreckage due to the position of the bus after falling off the cliff. — Jasmin R. Uy/NLQ (THE FREEMAN)