Bus falls off cliff; 2 dead, 16 injured

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines â€“ Two women were confirmed dead after their passenger bus plunged into a ravine along the Dalton Pass mountain highway near the Nueva Ecija-Nueva Vizcaya border just past midnight yesterday, police said.

Senior Inspector Ferdinand Corpuz, police chief of Santa Fe town, identified the fatalities as Jenifer Tayuto, 18, of Iguig, Cagayan; and Cristy Compalas, 37, of Bambang town here. 

The driver of the Manila-bound Dalin Bus Liner (with license plate BVF 733), according to reports, might have fallen asleep while negotiating the steep mountain highway, causing the vehicle to fall off the cliff in Barangay Capintalan, Carranglan, Nueva Ecija at around 12:30 a.m. yesterday. 

Police said 16 other bus passengers sustained injuries and are now being treated in hospitals in San Jose City, also in Nueva Ecija.– With Ric Sapnu