Death toll in Benguet road mishap rises to 13
LA TRINIDAD, Benguet , Philippines –Three more victims succumbed to their injuries, bringing to 13 the number of fatalities in last Saturday’s road accident in Buguias town in this province.
The latest casualties were Marrieta Gaspil, who died while being treated at the Benguet General Hospital, and Melin Dasdas, who succumbed to injuries on the way to hospital.
Braille Waclin also died from injuries while being treated at the Baguio General Hospital.
Ten people were killed instantly after their vehicle, a Ford Fiera (AAD 874), plunged 80 meters down into a ravine in Buguias on Saturday.
Ten others survived and were rescued and rushed to various hospitals in the region for treatment. Three of them, however, succumbed to injuries while being treated at the hospital.
Police identified the initial fatalities as Biana Olsim, Manuel Langbis, Bino Waclin, Melania Madiano, Alfredo Pattian, Ferdilyn Igualdo, Arnaldo Madiano, Kimberly Waclin, Erna Tosay, and Melanio Igualdo, all residents of Poblacion, Buguias.
Cordillera police director Chief Superintendent Benjamin Magalong said based on initial investigation, the victims were on their way to Abatan town after attending a thanksgiving party of the town’s re-elected mayor Melchor Diclas.
Magalong said the driver, Ambrocio Menzi, apparently lost control of the vehicle in a slippery portion of the road following a heavy rain and fog in the area.
Aside from Menzi, some of the injured were identified as Basilio Baldos, Oronio Agyapas, Nicole Waclin, and Wela Waclin.
A certain Jerry Bisaya Atas was the lone person unhurt after he managed to jump off the vehicle.
Suspended
The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has suspended the franchise of a bus firm involved in an accident in Bulacan last month that resulted in the death of a passenger and damage to other vehicles.
The LTFRB ordered the suspension of operations of Luzon Bus Inc. and its fleet of 25 bus units for 10 days.
Luzon Bus Inc.’s bus with plate number TXT-578 was involved in a fatal accident on May 14 along Quirino Highway, Barangay Maharlika, in San Jose del Monte.
The LTFRB ordered the bus firm to surrender the license plates of all the buses. The bus operator has also been ordered to bring all 25 buses to the Motor Vehicle Inspection Service for inspection and determination of their road worthiness.
LTFRB chairman Winston Ginez said the drivers of the bus firm are also required to attend a road safety seminar.
“Unless they can assure us of the road worthiness of their buses, their whole fleet will be grounded to prevent another accident from occurring in our roads,†Ginez said. -Reinir Padua, Cecille Suerte Felipe
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