3 hurt in 3-bus smashup

MANILA, Philippines - A three-bus collision along the Quezon City portion of the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) injured three people before dawn yesterday.

Bus driver Rudolf Ibanez and his passengers Sara Villanueva, 30, and Jose Esteban, 38, were injured in the accident in the Camachile area of NLEX.

Ibanez is in critical condition and could lose his legs after his limbs were pinned behind the wheel, Senior Police Officer 4 Raymund Layug said, adding that Ibanez is now under observation at the Quezon City General Hospital.

Layug said the vehicles in the smash-up were Ibanez’s bus, a Dalin bus liner (BVB 151); a New Rl Transport Corp. (TXG 882) bus driven by Hermogenes Catalan; and an Everlasting Transport bus (UVL 797) driven by Ruel Bacacay.

The accident happened at the loading and unloading bay at the southbound lane of NLEX in the Camachile area at past 3 a.m.

Layug said the RL and Everlasting buses were unloading passengers while the Dalin bus had just exited the NLEX at top speed. The Dalin bus rear-ended the RL bus, pinning Ibanez behind the wheel, Layug said.

Because of this, the RL bus smashed into the Everlasting bus in front of it, until the three buses stopped moving.

Ibanez’s passengers Villanueva and Esteban suffered gashes all over the body and were quickly given first aid.

Ibanez told police his brakes malfunctioned while he was exiting the expressway.