Charges filed vs Don Mariano Transit driver

MANILA, Philippines - The driver of a passenger bus that fell off the Skyway in Parañaque may still be fighting for his life in the hospital but he has to face charges for the death of 18 people following the tragic accident on Monday.

The Highway Patrol Group (HPG) yesterday filed charges of multiple homicide, multiple injuries and damage to property against Carmelo Calatcat with the Parañaque prosecutor’s office.

Calatcat remains in the intensive care unit of the Parañaque Doctors’ Hospital.

Sixteen others were injured in the bus crash.

 HPG investigator Senior Police Officer 2 Isidra Dumlao said the owner of Don Mariano Transit Corp. was included in the charge sheet.

Police have identified 12 of the 18 fatalities in the mishap. They are Jean Angelique Cadiz, Joey Esponilla, Marie Ann Superio, Roger Orquejo, Arnold Jimenos, Roberto Bautista, Russel Constantino, Richard Gaveria, Ricardo Gonzales, Rolly Bores, Ramon Labang and Rodel Tolentino.

HPG spokesperson Superintendent Elizabeth Velasquez, meanwhile, denied reports that HPG agents who responded to the crash site took the belongings of the victims.  

“All the items recovered at the site were audited and will be turned over to the relatives of the victims,” Velasquez said.

Road safety test

Only six of the initial 42 units of Don Mariano Transit passed the road safety test conducted yesterday by the Land Transportation Office (LTO) and Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).

Joel Donato, chief of the LTO North-Motor Vehicles Inspection Center, said 36 of the first 42 buses they inspected have problems ranging from defective brakes and signal lights to worn-out upholstery and lack of seatbelts.

Some of the buses failed the emission test conducted by the LTO.

Donato said the remaining 35 bus units would be inspected today.

The preliminary result of the road worthiness test was contrary to the statement made by the bus firm’s lawyer that most of their buses are in good condition.

In an interview with GMA News TV, Jason Cantil, legal counsel for the Don Mariano Transit, described Monday’s Skyway accident as “isolated.”

Cantil said the bus company conducts regular maintenance check on their buses on top of the mandatory inspection by the LTO every year during registration.

Photos of the bus that fell off the Skyway showed that at least one of its tires was already worn out.

The Skyway Operations and Management Corp. said this could have contributed to the driver’s loss of control of the bus, which skidded on the wet pavement.

Bus passed inspection

According to Donato, the bus that figured in the Skyway accident passed the LTO inspection last June and was given the go-signal to ply its route.

In a text message to The STAR, LTO officer-in-charge Alfonso Tan said they would propose more frequent road worthiness inspections of public utility vehicles.

At present, the LTO only inspects vehicles during registration and on random inspections during peak season such as Holy Week and All Saints’ Day.

Drivers dismayed over suspension

Drivers of the suspended buses expressed disappointment over the decision of the LTFRB to suspend the entire fleet of Don Mariano Transit.

Rosella Patangan said the agency should have suspended only the bus that figured in the accident.

He drives a bus plying a Novaliches-Baclaran route, different from the Novaliches-Pacita route of the one that figured in the mishap.

“It’s Christmas time, we don’t have any means to earn money,” he said, adding that he is sending a child to school.

The preventive suspension imposed on the fleet covers all the seven franchises of the firm, involving 78 bus units.

LTFRB Chairman Winston Ginez said the board decided to ground the entire fleet of Don Mariano Transit, instead of just the franchise, as it took into consideration three other cases against the company.

Driver Aurelio Cardiente, 57, called on the government to provide them with a livelihood program while the fleet is suspended.

Cardiente has 10 children, three of them still in school.

“The accident involved only one person but all of us are affected,” he said.

Cardiente and Patangan said they hope that the LTFRB will not decide to revoke all franchises of the bus company.

Not known for speeding

Asked about the driver of the bus that figured in the deadly accident, Patangan said Calatcat is not known for speeding. He described him as “kind and cheerful.”

“It was just an accident,” Patangan said, noting that the driver may have lost control because the road was wet at the time.

Reports said that Calatcat was speeding at the time of the accident.

Donato said an investigation would be conducted to determine the liability of Calatcat.

If proven guilty, the penalty may range from suspension of license to revocation, he said.

Bus drivers also belied reports that their company is not following the fixed-salary scheme, saying they take home a daily pay of P525.

They added they receive additional compensation based on their performance.

The practice is under the two-tiered salary scheme for bus drivers implemented by the Department of Labor and Employment earlier this year.

Stricter traffic laws

Vice President Jejomar Binay yesterday pushed for stricter implementation of traffic laws to prevent road accidents.

Binay condoled with the families of the fatalities in the Skyway bus crash.

“We have many laws on traffic but the implementation is weak,” he said.

For its part, the Philippine Medical Association (PMA) said the bus tragedy could have been avoided had the government strictly implemented the Clean Air Act of 1999.

PMA president Leo Olarte said the law requires “preventive maintenance of motor vehicles before they can be cleared as road worthy.”

Olarte said the law was rendered inutile because of the practice of non-appearance of vehicles at LTO emission testing centers.

He added the law does not only address air pollution but helps minimize road accidents.  â€“ With Janvic Mateo, Cecille Suerte Felipe, Jun Elias, Sheila Crisostomo