Marcos wants justice for victims of road crashes —Palace

Malacañang on Monday expressed sorrow over the recent road crashes, which killed at least a dozen individuals.

In a press briefing, Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro said that President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. wants justice for the victims and their bereaved families.

''Opo, of course ikinalulungkot ko ang mga nangyari, lalo po’t may mga buhay po na nawala, may mga kababayan din po tayong nasaktan; hindi magandang balita po ang ganitong klaseng aksidente,'' Castro said.

(Of course we are saddened by this especially that lives were lost and some of our kababayans hurt. This is not good news.)

''At dahil sa pag-uutos po ng Pangulo na mabigyan agad ng hustiya ang mga pamilya ng nasawi, umaksiyon po agad si Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon, at siya po ay nagbabala at nagbigay na rin po ng agarang pag-uutos patungkol po sa regular and mandatory drug test for public utility vehicle drivers effective immediately,'' she added.

(Based on the directive of the President to ensure justice for the victims, Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon immediately acted on this and he warned and directed regulations as regards regular and mandatory drug test for public utility vehicle drivers effective immediately.)

To recall, ten individuals, including four children, were killed in a multiple-vehicle collision at the Tarlac City Toll Plaza on the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway last Thursday.

Two other individuals were also killed just on Sunday when an SUV rammed into the departure area of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1.

Meanwhile, Vice President Sara Duterte called on the public to follow traffic rules to prevent road accidents that may result in injuries and even deaths.

In a video message for Land Transportation Safety Month, Duterte pointed out that ensuring road safety is not just the job of traffic enforcers, but also the responsibility of every citizen, the private sector, and the government.

“Mga kababayan, sumunod tayo sa batas-trapiko. Gamitin ang tamang tawiran. Iwasan ang paggamit ng cellphone habang nagmamaneho o naglalakad. At i-report agad ang mga panganib sa daan. Simpleng disiplina, malaking ambag sa kaligtasan,” the Vice President said.

(Let's obey traffic rules. Let’s use the crosswalks. Avoid using cellphones while driving or walking, and report road hazards immediately. With proper discipline, there could be a big contribution to safety.)

She also urged the private sector to ensure that drivers are adequately trained to ply the roads and that vehicles are kept in good condition.

Likewise, Duterte also emphasized that it is the government's responsibility to keep road infrastructure safe, and that traffic laws are being enforced. —AOL/RF, GMA Integrated News