Spate of bus accidents alarms Labella

CEBU, Philippines —  Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella wants to meet with the executives of a passenger bus company as he expressed alarm over a series of road accidents involving its buses in the city.

“It’s quite alarming. I intend to call the manager/operator of Ceres so we can apprise and tell them and ask them what is happening with the safety rules,” said Labella.

The mayor said the bus company was given the privilege to operate in the city in lieu of the traditional public utility jeepneys but it should also be mindful of everyone’s safety.

Data from Cebu City Police Office’s traffic investigation bureau showed there were 21 accidents involving buses since October 1, 2020.

Lt. Col. Clark Arriola, CCPO information officer, said they have already coordinated with the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB-7) on the conduct of investigation.

“According to their operations officer, today (yesterday) naghimo og show cause order ang ilang legal. They will be inviting the driver, ang konduktor ug ang operator," said Arriola, referring to last Sunday’s collision between a Ceres bus and an ambulance in the north reclamation area.

LTFRB-7 director Eduardo Montealto Jr. confirmed a show cause order was already sent out yesterday.

Arriola said they have already agreed to sit-in with the LTFRB-7 investigation for them to be able to contribute and come up with a system to address these accidents.

"Mosit-in ta sa mga mahimong investigation sa LTFRB and from there basin makahimo ta og mga conclusive na mga recommendations para ma identify jud nato ang cause ani,” Arriola said.

Arriola refused to blame the buses pending the results of the investigation, adding that there were other parties involved in the accidents.

Judging from the video taken from the closed-circuit television camera, Montealto said it appeared that the ambulance driver was at fault in last Sunday’s accident.

“But for me lang ha, based sa CCTV nga atong nakita, sala gyud sa ambulance but dili pa ni conclusive. Padayon pa ang atong investigation,” said Montealto

The video footage shows the Ceres bus was negotiating the intersection on a green light when it was hit by a speeding ambulance. Bus driver Benedic Caldozo claimed he was not warned of the incoming emergency vehicle because the ambulance was not using its siren.

Montealto said he already ordered a 30-day suspension of the certificate of public convenience of the bus involved in the accident.

“Atong i-investigate kung kinsa gyud tinuod ang sad-an. Kung walay sala ang Ceres then we will lift their suspension or kung sad-an sila padayon ang suspension,” said Montealto.

The traffic police believe the city’s narrow roads may have contributed to the accidents involving buses. Arriola said the roads in the city are not design for the buses.

"Kay two lanes tapos butangan nato og bus, and diri sa uptown area dili kaayo visible ang bus stop signage, so perhaps that is one of the reasons," Arriola said. — Iris Hazel M. Mascardo, and Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon, FPL (FREEMAN)