The wrecked bus amid the wreckage it caused. Contributed photo
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – Seven persons were reported killed while nine others sustained multiple injuries after a minibus plowed over a tricycle, a kolong-kolong, a passenger waiting shed and an electric post along a stretch of the Jose Abad Santos Avenue in Barangay San Isidro, Lubao on Dec. 26.
The six fatalities have been identified in a police report on Monday as Jun Valencia, 35, driver of the tricycle; May Anne Mendoza, 25; Julian Mcklain Mendoza, a 1-year-old infant; Justin Castro, 22; Trisha Gogolin, 22; and Armando De Guzman, 51, the bus conductor.
In a radio interview, Lubao police chief Lt. Col. Julius Javier said the Oster Line minibus with plate number CXR-488 driven by Orlando Bangit, 68, came from Bataan and was on its way to the City of San Fernando when it bumped the tricycle causing it to swerve on the roadside and its driver and passengers thrown out of the vehicle.
The minibus ran over some of the victims and continued speeding, bumped a kolong-kolong, smashed through a passenger waiting shed and stopped only after it rammed into an electric post which fell and broke into parts and caused a power outage.
“Base sa mga witness natin, hindi naman nila totally nakita. Ang narinig lang kasi nila ‘yung malakas na ingay, ‘yung pagbangga ng bus sa tricycle,” Javier said.
“May siyam po tayong naka-confine sa JBL (Jose B. Lingad Memorial Regional Hospital in the City of San Fernando). ‘Yung iba po, na-confine rin tapos ‘yung iba naman po after magamot, in-advise na rin na umuwi,” he added.
Police said the minibus driver who remained confined at a hospital after undergoing operation on Sunday night will be charged with reckless imprudence resulting in multiple homicide, multiple injuries, and damage to properties.
Police investigation is still ongoing as of uploading time. With media reports
