12 hurt in bus mishap

 CEBU, Philippines - Twelve people were injured including the driver of the Ceres Bus Liner that fell on its side yesterday morning while negotiating on a downhill curve in the northern town of Sogod, Cebu.

The Ceres bus, bearing plate number RHV 657, came from Daanbantayan town and was on its way to Cebu City at around 7:30 a.m. when the accident happened in Sitio Eme, Barangay Damolog.

The driver, Vicente Cerelegia, said he was traveling at a speed of 25-kilometer per hour when he noticed that the bus tipped on its side prompting him to step on the brakes while steering the vehicle away from the 50-foot ravine on the left side.

Two of the 12 injured passengers, 3-year-old Mary Fe Saladaga and 79-year-old Venancia Jagdon, sustained fractures and injuries in the leg and arm, respectively, were taken to the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center in Cebu City.

The other injured victims who suffered bruises and minor injuries included the driver, his conductor, identified only by his surname Dagaan, and passengers Clark Surban of Cebu City, Rico Negro of Cebu City, Rany Rosa Fuentes of San Remegio, Benjie Epe of Bogo City, Ricardo Lobitaña of Bogo City, Maricel Andrin of Bogo City, Liza Lao of Daanbantayan and Loreme Dagatan of Bogo City.

The driver and nine others were taken to the Juan Dosado Memorial Medical Center in Sogod town but they were released soon after treatment.

Cerelegia was later taken to the Sogod police station but was not detained because none of the passengers have filed a complaint against him.

In an interview with The FREEMAN Cerelegia said he was thankful even if he was injured that he was able to prevent the bus from careening into the cliff because it would have been fatal for all of them.

A representative of Ceres Liner already visited the police station and assured to take care all the medical bills of the victims.

Cerelegio admitted he was only new to the Ceres Bus Company having started about 10 days ago. But, he said he already have 20 years of driving experience. He said he was aware that the area is prone to accident based on what he had observed.

Sogod police chief, Inspector Ramon Lacno, said the accident site was an accident-prone area. According to him, they have put up warning signs on the road but unscrupulous people took them out.

Lacno said that the driver erred in the accident even if he was driving slowly. Lacno said they will be filing charges for reckless imprudence resulting to serious physical injuries and Reckless Imprudence Resulting to Multiple Injuries

The Sogod accident happened more than a week after the Trans Central Highway tragedy in Balamban last June 13 in which 21 persons were killed, all but one of them Iranians.

Last June 21, a trailer truck carrying two containers lost its brakes and plowed through a crowd in front of a church in Poog, Toledo City, on the eve of its fiesta, pinning to death four people and injuring eight others.

The Land Transportation Office has said it will conduct roadworthiness tests on all vehicles in light of the accidents.   (FREEMAN NEWS)