Bus ride to death: 18 killed as bus plunges off Skyway

MANILA, Philippines - A passenger bus plunged from the Skyway in Parañaque and crashed into a van passing the West Service Road of the South Luzon Expressway, killing 18 people early yesterday morning.

Television footage showed bodies strewn around the bus wreckage with police officers nearby. The van was an unrecognizable pile of smashed metal.

The bus veered off the elevated tollway and crashed onto the van 9.6 meters (32 feet) below, said Highway Patrol Group (HPG) spokesperson Superintendent Elizabeth Velasquez.

Authorities confirmed that 18 bodies were recovered from the Don Mariano Transit bus shortly after it plummeted from the southbound lane of the Skyway, revising an initially higher toll. The accident left 16 others injured. They were rushed to the nearest hospital.

Velasquez earlier reported 21 had died and 20 others were injured but later said there appeared to have been duplication amid the confusion.

Calls to five hospitals where the victims were rushed showed at least 16 people injured from the accident have been admitted.

The HPG said the bus with license plate UVC-916 was traversing the Skyway on its way to Pacita, Laguna at 5:30 a.m. when it fell off the expressway in Barangay Marcelo Green and landed on the van (ULX-874) that was on the service road below.

As of press time yesterday, six of the fatalities were identified as Marie Ann Superio, Roger Orquejo, Arnold Jimenos and Roberto Bautista, Jean Angelique Cadiz and Joey Esponilla, according to HPG case investigator Isidra Dumlao.

Dumlao said there were at least 34 passengers on the bus. Another man on a motorcycle was hurt after being hit by the falling bus, police said.

“Based on the account of witnesses, the bus was speeding when it lost control and swerved before hitting the wall of the Skyway then flipped and crashed into the van,” she said.

The driver of the wayward bus, Carmelo Calatcat, cheated death but sustained injuries. Gilbert Montellana was pulled out from the van that was crushed by the bus. They were taken to the Parañaque Doctors’ Hospital for treatment.

Velasquez earlier said the van’s driver was killed. But Carmencita Solidum, medical director of the Parañaque Doctors’ Hospital, said the two drivers were among the 10 injured admitted to the hospital.

It was not immediately clear what caused the accident but the highway was wet from rain, said Ivy Vidal, a spokeswoman from Skyway Operations and Maintenance Corp.

The wrecked bus and van were later towed to the HPG sub-office in Bicutan, Taguig.

Bus too fast

Ryan Bresa, a passenger who survived, said the bus may have been traveling too fast and the driver tried to control the vehicle from swerving before it fell off the highway.

Irene Sisperes, a motorist who witnessed the accident, said she was driving with her daughter when the bus overtook her car. She estimated that the bus was traveling at between 100 kilometers per hour and 110 kph. The Skyway’s speed limit is 80 kph.

She said it was still dark and raining when the accident happened.

“After a few meters, I saw the bus fall and I shouted, ‘The bus fell, the bus fell’’,” she told dzMM radio, adding there were no other cars nearby.

Sisperes said she saw the damaged railing of the highway and some debris and reported the incident at the tollgate.

Angelo Dequina, an employee of a funeral parlor, said 17 bodies were brought to mortuary from hospitals and from the crash site.

IDs recovered

Police recovered from the accident site the identification cards of Archie Dino, Mar Edrisne Zulueta, Joey Esponilla and Myla Angeles.

Dumlao said they are still verifying if the IDs belonged to the casualties.

The accident crippled traffic from C-5 to Sucat for several hours.

The HPG said charges of reckless imprudence resulting in multiple homicide and damage to property will be filed against Calatcat today. The bus operator will be included in the charge sheet.

Velasquez said the bus driver would undergo drug and liquor tests to determine if he was under the influence at the time of accident.

Dumlao said they are trying to get closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage from Skyway management to help in their investigation.

“The CCTV footage could give us a better idea of how the accident happened,” she said.

Two years ago, a bus from another company fell from the Skyway near the same area, leaving three people dead and four others injured.

‘One-strike’ policy

Following yesterday’s Skyway crash, Malacañang is open to adopt a “one-strike” policy against bus companies found to have been repeatedly involved in accidents.

“That’s something we can refer to Transportation and Communications Secretary (Joseph Emilio) Jun Abaya… if a one-strike policy is practicable,” presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said.

Lacierda said that like any other industry, public transportation is bound by laws.

“There are processes involved, which we have to follow. We are bound by the law,” he added.

Aside from the suspension of the entire fleet of Don Mariano Transit, Lacierda said an investigation on the incident should be conducted.

Toll Regulatory Board executive director Edmund Reyes was ordered by Abaya to look into the accident.

“We have to study what kind of infrastructure improvements we can do to avoid another incident of a bus falling from an elevated highway,” Lacierda said.

He said the accident should remind public transport operators of their duty to practice diligence to prevent the loss of lives.

Mother, daughter dead in bus crash

In Cebu, a mother and her five-year-old daughter died while 32 others were injured when the bus they were riding in crashed along the national highway in Barangay Balhaan, Badian yesterday.

A Ceres bus with license plate 722-CEH driven by Erwin Gerson, 42, fell on its side, causing the instant death of his wife, Marilyn, 41 and their daughter.

The injured were taken to different hospitals.

Gerson was detained at the Badian police station pending the filing of charges against him, said Badian police chief Inspector Henry Orbiso.

Police said the bus driver was drunk when he figured in the accident.

PO1 Bismarck Babiera said the bus was traveling at high speed when Gerson lost control of the wheel, causing the vehicle to hit a post before it overturned.

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) grounded 10 units of Ceres bus following the accident.

Another bus collision

In Olongapo City, 65 bus passengers were injured when two units of Victory Liner collided along the national highway in Old Cabalan on Sunday morning.

City police director Senior Superintendent Rodolfo Recomono said the collision occurred at 6:30 a.m.

Investigation showed that the bus driven by Emilio Ocampo was negotiating a curve when its tires skidded due to the slippery road and hit another bus driven by Jerome Faustino on the opposite lane.

The victims were taken to the James Gordon Memorial Hospital.

LTFRB chairman Winston Ginez said they will suspend 22 units of Victory Liner. – With Delon Porcalla, Cecille Suerte Felipe, Reinir Padua Ric Sapnu, Ria Mae Booc/Freeman, AP