Ceres offers settlement for crash victims

CEBU, Philippines —  Vallacar Transit, the mother company of Ceres Bus, has offered financial settlements for the death of three people in three road accidents involving its buses, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB)-7 Director Eduardo Montealto said yesterday.

A hearing into the accidents took place Wednesday.

Montealto told The Freeman that Vallacar Transit Vallacar’s Administrative Manager, Joelito Cabales, informed LTFRB-7 hearing officer Edwin Antepuesto during the hearing that the company has given P80,000 for funeral expenses and another P50,000 as cash assistance to the family of the security guard who was run over by its bus while driving his bike in Mandaue City on October 30, 2020.

The same assistance was given to the family of another man who was also run over by a bus while riding his bicycle on October 31, 2020 in Consolacion town.

Montealto said that under the law, the two cyclists are entitled to receive P200,000 each.

 “Kaning duha are entitled to receive P200,000 each kay dili man ni sila pasahero sa bus. Under the Passenger Accident Insurance Coverage, entitled gyud makadawat of P100,000 nga benefit ang hingtungdan from the insurance ug laing P100,000 sa company,” he said.

(These two are entitled to receive P2,000 each because they were not passengers of the bus. Under the Passenger Accident Insurance Coverage, the family is entitled to receive P100,000 from the insurance company and another P100,000 from the bus company.)

Meanwhile, the conductor of the bus who died during a separate accident on November 3, 2020 when the bus collided with an ambulance is entitled to receive P400,000 as insurance coverage since he was considered a passenger.

Montealto said the committee that is looking into the accidents will forward to him this Friday its decision on the actions to take against the bus company.

Result of the drug test on the three bus drivers will also be submitted this Friday.

LTFRB-7 is expected to come up with a decision by next week.

However, considering that LTFRB-7 will decide purely on administrative liability, Montealto said they will furnish a copy of the decision to the police – should the PNP ask for it – if other victims of the accidents will file criminal charges against the bus company.

“Kung kuhaon sa PNP ang decision sa LTFRB on this matter, then we will give it to them in case some of the victims will be filing criminal charges against the bus company,” he said.

(If the PNP will get a copy of the decision from LTFRB on this matter, then we will give it to them in case some victims will file criminal charges against the bus company.)

Montealto said Ceres bus drivers were mandated to travel only 40 kilometers per hour even prior to the accidents.

He said the company is supposed to be monitoring the speed of the buses as its monitoring system is meant to sound off if a bus is traveling beyond 40 kilometers per hour.

“Og ma-alarm gani na sila nga nagpadagan ang driver beyond 40 kilometers per hour, unya katulo sulod sa usa ka adlaw, kay ma-suspenso na sila,” Montealto said.

(If an alarm is raised that a driver is traveling beyond 40 kilometers per hour, up to three times in a day, the driver can be suspended.) — JMO (FREEMAN)