BACOLOD City – A passenger bus fell on its side while navigating the road in Purok Kapayas, Barangay Pacol, Bago City, Negros Occidental.
One of the passengers – the 28-year-old Ana May de Claro of Barangay Ma-ao, Bago City – died.
The accident happened around 1 p.m. on Monday. The Ceres bus owned by Vallacar Transit, Inc. was bound for Barangay Ma-ao from Bacolod City.
According to an initial report from the Bago City police station, around 40 passengers were on board the bus.
It was not immediately clear how many of these passengers were hurt but reports said most of them landed in hospitals (Bacolod Adventist Medical Center and Riverside Medical Center) for treatment.
The Bago City police were still investigating what circumstances led to the accident.
Bus driver Aimer Paro, 28, of Sipalay City, Negros Occidental was placed under the custody of the Bago City police while investigation was ongoing.
Jade Seballos, Vallacar’s Media and Public Relations Manager, said they already sent assistance to the injured passengers.
Before the accident, Vallacar issued a statement assuring commuters that it is safe to board its Ceres buses this Holy Week.
Seballos said all their drivers and conductors underwent medical checkups before they were deployed for bus trips.
Last week, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board Region 6 suspended for 30 days the operation of 10 Ceres buses plying the Iloilo City to Barangay Caticlan, Malay, Aklan (via San Jose, Antique) route and vice versa.
The suspension came after a Ceres bus fell into a 30-meter deep ravine in Barangay Igbucagay, Hamtic, Antique around 9:45 p.m. on April 5, leaving three passengers dead and seven others injured./PN
