7 seriously hurt in bus-truck collision

BATANGAS CITY — Four employees of a manufacturing company and three others were critically injured when a bus smashed into a trailer truck along the national highway in Barangay Balagtas here Monday night, police said.

Those injured, who were taken to the Golden Gate Hospital here, were identified as truck driver Mario Almaron, 45; bus driver Danilo Acar and conductor Rudy Bernales; and Almario de las Alas, Marilyn Custodio, Romy Babasa and Edward Fruelda, all employees of the Jideco Manufacturing Co.

Police said the JAM Transit bus with license plate DWY-730 was southbound when Acar lost control of the wheel, causing the bus to collide with the northbound trailer truck.

The other bus passengers suffered only minor bruises and were sent home after treatment. — Arnell Ozaeta