31 hurt as bus falls into Cavite ravine

CAVITE, Philippines  – Thirty one people including six Japanese nationals were hurt when the bus they were riding plunged into a ravine in Ternate town Sunday afternoon, police said.

Superintendent Ronaldo Alamo, Ternate police chief said a JAC Liner bus with plate number TVR-885 was cruising the national highway in Barangay Sapang 2 in Ternate town when it avoided an incoming red Toyota Revo and subsequently fell off the Pinagpatayan Bridge around 2:55 p.m.

The bus driver, Jackson Azotillo, 32, of Pasong Matanda, Amadeo, Cavite, was driving toward Ternate town proper from Caylabne when the incident occurred.

Azotillo was rushed to Naic Doctors Hospital for treatment together with his conductor Joseph Pantoja, passengers Nestor Sevillano, Socorro Vergara, Maria Crizel Pernia, Rodrigo Sevillano, Ruben Alpha Jain, Kimberly Sila, Brenda Penaflor, Romel Ramirez, Niko San Joaquin, Paul John Rotaero, Jean Sanchez, Ernesto Rebuena, Ely Orgaya, Crystel Royola, Lormie Sagarino and Japanese nationals Masao Kuysumi, Sugiyama Juki and Noemi Nakamura.

Other passengers who were rushed to San Lorenzo Ruiz Hospital were identified as Babet Zamudio, Karen Retusto, Sarah Umayan, Geraldine Pingol, Christine Olaynes, Robilyn Penadora, Ariel Salvador, Cris Ann Salamat, and Japanese nationals Esiko Akiko, Yugi Kimura and Osama Tamaka.

No one was seriously hurt in the incident.