3 hurt in 7-vehicle pileup

Three people were injured in an accident involving two buses and five cars – all Toyota Altis – at the Skyway tollgate in southern Metro Manila yesterday.

The victims were identified as Faustino Camposano, 42; Kambayassy Saturo, 42; and Tosho Watanabe, 54, a Japanese resident of Ayala Alabang in Muntinlupa City. The three are passengers of the different cars involved in the accident.

Initial investigation showed that around 6:54 a.m., an Astroliner bus (PXK-767) was tailing a Mass Transport bus (PYJ-861), which was following five cars at the southbound portion of the Skyway toll plaza when the Astroliner bus suddenly hit the other bus, which caused all five cars in front to bump into each other.

Bus driver Joselito Amor, 34, said he lost control of the vehicle but investigators said Amor could be speeding and it was already too late when he stepped on the brakes.

Formales added they are conducting a follow-up investigation to determine if Amor was really at fault.   – Rhodina Villanueva