6-vehicle collision snarls traffic in Makati

MANILA, Philippines - A collision of six vehicles on EDSA-Guadalupe in Makati City early Tuesday left five persons injured and triggered a massive traffic jam that lasted until before noon.

The Makati City Traffic Bureau said the vehicles involved in the accident include a Roval Transport passenger bus (ARA-827), another passenger bus (TYJ-248), three passenger jeepneys and a taxicab (ZPV-610).

Five passengers of the Roval bus were also slightly injured in the accident and were taken to the hospital for emergency treatment.

Two of those injured were identified by the Road Rescue Unit of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) as Richard Batardi and Wilma Frias, both passengers of the Roval bus. Those injured were rushed to the hospital by responding members of the MMDA Road Rescue Unit and by the Makati Rescue Unit.

Initial investigation showed that the Roval Transport bus was travelling on the northbound lane of EDSA to Valenzuela from Muntinlupa at about 5 a.m. when it lost control on reaching Guadalupe.

According to initial investigation, the bus then rear-ended a passenger jeepney (TCX-292) near the Guadalupe cloverleaf interchange.

After hitting the passenger jeepney, the Roval bus then swerved to the right side of the highway and then slammed into a passenger jeepney (TXJ-508) that was exiting into EDSA from the basement terminal parking of the Guadalupe Commercial Complex.

Meanwhile, the passenger jeepney (TCX-292) that was initially hit by the Roval bus, continued to roll and slammed into taxi cab. The impact sent the taxicab slamming into the other bus (TYJ-248) that was parked on EDSA.

The Makati Police has launched a hunt for the unidentified driver and conductor of the Roval bus as charges for reckless imprudence resulting in injury and damage to property.

According to the MMDA, the multiple vehicle collision crippled northbound vehicular traffic from the Magallanes are to Guadalupe.