Grieving mother still seeking compensation from Don Mariano bus firm

Despite the cancellation of Don Mariano Transit's franchise, the grieving mother of one of the passengers killed in last December's Skyway accident involving one of the bus firm's buses could hardly celebrate.

In a report on “24 Oras” Tuesday, Salvacion Gaveria said the bus firm has yet to reimburse the expenses they incurred for the burial of her son Richard.

Gaveria, who said she still couldn't accept her son's death, claimed the money she and the families of other victims received from Don Mariano was not enough.

“Mahirap matanggap na 'yung anak ko [wala na]. Hindi ko pa rin kayang tanggapin pero wala naman na akong magagawa,” she said.

Richard was among the 20 people who died when the ill-fated bus fell of the Skyway on the morning of December 16 and crashed on a closed van below. The bus driver died days later.

Gaveria said while Don Mariano Transit agreed to shoulder the costs of her son’s burial, it only gave them P10,000 as compensation for his death.

On Tuesday, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) announced that it has canceled the permit authorizing the operation of Don Mariano Transit.

Lawyer Jason Cantil, legal counsel for bus firm, said they will file a motion for reconsideration, adding that many employees, including bus drivers, conductors and mechanics, will be left unemployed due to the cancellation of the franchise.

Aside from the Skyway crash, the LTFRB also considered other violations of the franchise, including the unauthorized transfer of the chassis of buses to other vehicles without the permission of the LTFRB or the Land Transportation Office.

While Richard’s mother welcomed the news regarding the cancellation of Don Mariano’s franchise, she said the bus company should not forget its financial obligation to the victims and the families of the casualties.

“Kailangan pati yung pang-eskwela ng mga batang [naiwan ng magulang nila], sagutin ng kumpanya kasi nahihirapan din naman kami doon,” she said. — Xianne Arcangel/KBK, GMA News