13 hurt after passenger bus hits truck along NLEX

Thirteen individuals, including the bus conductor, were hurt after a passenger bus hit a truck along the southbound lane of the North Luzon Expressway in Valenzuela City on Monday evening.

According to Joseph Morong’s report in “24 Oras” on Tuesday, the front portion of the bus was severely damaged following the incident.

“Actually, 'yung bus driver sobrang reckless talaga. Ang bilis niya magpatakbo. So, I was sleeping kasi and then ‘yun may narinig na lang ako malakas na tunog tapos ayun nabasag na ‘yung mga salamin and sobrang bilis ng pangyayari,” said Mark Henry Santos, one of the passengers.

(Actually, the bus driver was really reckless. He was driving so fast. So I was sleeping and then I heard a loud sound then I find out that the windows were already shattered. Everything happened so fast.)

An 83-year-old lady was among the injured passengers, she suffered an eye injury and was brought to the hospital.

One of the passengers recalled that some broke the windows to get out of the bus.

“Sinapak po nila yung bintana saka po sila nagsibabaan at ayun po nagtakbuhan sila bumaba na sila sa bus, tapos yung mga naipit po matagal pa po bago makalabas,” the passenger said.

(They hit the window to make an opening so they can leave the bus, it took time for the passengers who pinned to go out of the vehicle.)

The police said the bus came from Angat, Bulacan and was enroute to Monumento in Caloocan and that the bus driver was driving at a high speed.

“Nag-merge siya ng kaliwa para hindi niya sana mabangga itong dump truck. Kaso nga lang merong closed van na andoon sa third lane nabangga niyang una. Pagkabangga niya nito, kumabig naman pa-kanan hanggang dire-diretso nabangga niya puwetan ng dump truck,” said Valenzuela City Police Station Traffic investigator Police Senior Master Sergeant Oliver Juan.

(He tried to merge with the vehicles at the left lane to avoid hitting the dump truck. But there’s a closed van in the third lane, which he also hit. After that, he hit the rear of the dump truck.)

The bus driver and a representative of the bus company declined to give a comment, but they already settled the matter with the victims, according to the report.

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) already issued a show cause order on the bus operator. Further, six bus units of the company were also suspended for 30 days. The other buses are allowed to operate as the volume of passengers is expected to increase during Holy Week.

“Napakagrabe po ng pagmamaneho na ginagawa nung driver at kailangan pong maparusahan both yung operator at yung driver,” said Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon.

(The driver was really reckless and should be held accountable together with the operator.)

For its part, the LTRFB said that it cannot do anything against reckless drivers but the operators can be reminded about road safety measures.

“Extraordinary diligence ang kinakailangan diyan kapag may mga ganyang problema, tumatama sa operator ‘yan,” said LTFRB spokesperson Ariel Inton.

(Extraordinary diligence is needed in those kinds of situations, and it’s the operator who must face it.)   — Vince Angelo Ferreras/BAP, GMA Integrated News