28 hurt in three-vehicle smashup on Cavitex

Twenty-eight people were hurt in a road accident along the Cavitex expressway in Las Piñas City involving a passenger jeep and two buses, a report on “24 Oras” said Tuesday.

According to Cavitex Traffic Manager Rosauro Hipol, the jeepney was hit by a bus when it abruptly stopped after one of its rear tires exploded on the northbound lane of the expressway.

“Nang ito ay masabugan ng bandang kanan na panghuling gulong, ngayon nagbagal ito, 'yung paparating naman na Saulog bus, dahil sa kakulangan ng sapat na distansya, inabot nga 'yung PUJ (public utility jeepney),” Hipol said.

Romnick Pintor, driver of the Saulog bus, said he was running at 60 kph when the sudden stop of the jeepney caught him off guard.

“Bigla siyang huminto. Wala siyang babala, ngayon nagulat ako sa paghinto niya, iniwasan ko, nag-apply ako ng preno sabay iwas sa kanya [pero] inabot parin,” Pintor said.

Federico Gemone of the Jasper Jean company, who was driving the other bus that figured in the accident, said he tried to avoid the jeep.

“Tumalsik 'yung jeep, tanggal 'yung bubong at 'yung tao nagkalat sa kalsada. Ako naman pag-iwas ko, pumunta ako sa third lane para di ko masagasaan 'yung mga tao pero inabot ako sa pagpalo ng jeep na binangga ng Saulog,” Gemone said.

Las Piñas Traffic Enforcement Unit Chief P/Insp. Albert Arevalo said it was hard to fault somebody for the accident.

“Actually, wala namang may kasalanan nito dahil nga aksidente, sumabog 'yung puwetang gulong. Pero ang official na ang makakapagsabi niyan after namin mai-refer ito sa piskal,” Arevalo said.

The driver of the jeep escaped after the accident. The injured passengers, meanwhile, were brought to the San Juan De Dios Hospital for treatment, the “24 Oras” report said. —Andrei Medina/KBK, GMA News