Parents claim student victims of Tanay road mishap forced to join tour

The parents of the college students who met a deadly accident on their way to Tanay, Rizal, on Monday morning claimed their children were forced to join the tour.

"Pag hindi papasamahin sasabihin nila ibabagsak tapos 'yung sasakyan hindi [tinitignan] kung maayos," said a mother identified only as Mrs. Pepito in Cesar Apolinario's report on "24 Oras."

Mrs. Pepito's son, John Kenneth, was among the 15 people, mostly students, who were killed when their tour bus slammed into a post on a curved road in Barangay Sampaloc in Tanay. The bus' driver also perished in the accident.

The students — 517 all in all, on board nine buses — were from Bestlink College of the Philippines in Quezon City who were supposed to have their medical and survival training as part of their National Service Training Program (NSTP) subject.

The report said of the total number of students, 58 were on board Bus Number 8, the bus that figured in the accident around 8:50 a.m.

"Tinatakot nila yung mga estudyante. Sinasabi nila sa mga estudyante hindi daw sasama sa field trip ibabagsak daw sa subject," said Mr. Pepito, the victim's father.

Another parent, Rosalyn Bernardino, almost collapsed upon learning that her 19-year-old child was among the fatalities.

“Di ko nga alam kung nasaan na yung patay. Bakit di pa inuuwi nila? Ang saya-saya pa po ng anak ko nagpaalam pa ko sa akin yun. Di ko nga po yun pinapayagan. Bakit po ba kasi may school na ganon? Pinagbawal na ng school yun na wala ng field trip dahil maraming nangyayaring ganon," Bernardino said in the report.

A Bestlink staff later approached Bernardino to calm her down.

Two parents of students on board Bus Number 8, on other hand, gave a sigh of relief upon learning that their children survived the accident.

Mary Grace Frias also rushed to the school due to stress, even if her child was on board Bus Number 4. Like Mrs. Pepito, Frias said the school insisted that the students join the training.

“Hindi nila nire-require yang camping na yan. Pinipilit nila dahil ibabagsak daw nila tapos pinipilit nila yung magulang na pumirma ng waiver,” she said.

The school posted the names of the 517 students and their corresponding bus numbers in a bulletin board.

Meanwhile, Mardy Luz filed a blotter report against Bestlink at the QCPD Station 4 despite her child saying he was transferred from Bus 8 to Bus 9.

Luz said the school warned them their children will not graduate if they don't attend the training.

"Tinatakot nila na hindi isasama sa graduation, e first year pa lang," Luz said.

Other parents staged a protest inside the campus following the accident, the report said.

The school administration denied the graduation of their students is at stake when they fail to attend the NSTP training, the report added.

However, the school confirmed the training is a requirement for them to pass the NSTP, a subject included in all colleges and universities. NSTP students are required to undergo leadership, first aid, and medical and survival training.

Sister Nina Basquinez, secretary to the president of Bestlink, clarified that students will only receive an incomplete grade if they don't join the training.

"They might get incomplete grade but not really failing the subject. An incomplete grade because you have not done something that is needed by the subject," Basquinez said.

Bestlink later announced the medical and survival training still pushed through for the rest of the group.

The school also allotted bus units for parents who wish to accompany their children in the training.

Burning rubber

Meanwhile, survivors of the accident recalled smelling burning rubber while en route to the venue of their training.

"Nangangamoy na kasi yung bus di pa kami pababa, paakyat pa lang kami ng bundok pero parang wala lang din kasi mga kaklase ko nagkakasiyahan," Raymond Navarro said in a separate report by GMA News' Bernadette Reyes.

Navarro, who only suffered minor bruises, said the bus still traveled quite a distance despite what seemed to them was malfunctioning brakes.

"Ang dami pa namin dinaanan ng walang brake kaya nagsigawan na kaming lahat na ‘Anong nangyayari magdasal na kayo mamatay na tayo lahat.’ Buti yung driver di binagga sa bangin," he said, adding he survived the accident since the window near him was open.

"Yung nasa harap po kasi yun talaga di nakaligtas. Tapos ako naman po tumalon na lang po ako nung nag-impact yung sasakyan saka ako tumalon para yung impact di ako sasaluhin," Navarro said.

Nolimar Lanniuhan, for his part, said he survived since he and his friends sat in the back-row seats.

"Kami yung nasa pinakahuli talaga na upuan tapos nalaman naming umuusok na yung inuupuan namin, umiinit na siya tapos sinabi naming sa driver na mabaho na 'yung usok," Lanniuhan said.

Seven casualties sent to Tanay General Hospital have already been discharged, the report said. One victim named Matthew Zafra will be transferred to the Orthopedic Hospital due to injuries on the head and other extremities.

Nineteen were sent to Amang Rodriguez Hospital in Marikina, while seven are set to be discharged at the Rizal Provincial Hospital.

The bodies of 10 fatalities were brought to San Isidro Memorial Homes in Tanay, the report said. —Joseph Tristan Roxas/KBK, GMA News