ZAMBOANGA SIBUGAY (Mindanao Examiner / July 24, 2013) – More than a dozen people were injured, including a pregnant woman, after a provincial bus fell in a ravine in the town of Ipil in the southern Filipino province of Zamboanga Sibugay, police said Wednesday.
It said Cynthia Cichon, 21, who is 8 months pregnant, and another passenger Elezar Probitso, 26, were seriously injured. The bus, owned by Rural Transit, was traveling to Zamboanga City from Pagadian City in Zamboanga del Sur province when the accident occurred.
Police said the 47-year old driver Felix Lumosad tried to overtake a motorcycle in the village of Tenan, but avoided another bus on the opposite lane of the road and lost control of the wheel and the bus fell in the ravine.
Lumosad surrendered to the police after the accident, according to Chief Inspector Ariel Huesca, a regional police spokesman. “The driver lost control of the steering wheel which resulted to the accident. The driver voluntarily surrendered to the Ipil Municipal Police Station and is undergoing investigation,” he said.
Huesca said policemen who responded to the accident, rushed the injured passengers to the hospital.
Police identified the wounded passengers as Neil Villota, 40; Manilyn Luod, 47; Ramon Balagosa, 67; Maggen Macario, 3; Alberto Nuñez, 27; Manilyn Macario, 24; Pacita Sagrado, 47; Berminda Illosgiun, 51; Bernardita Barrico, 69; Dante Abarico, 57; Hilda Tareg, 38; Romeo Abugatal, 38; Genevieve Espina, 23; Bonamie Abejar, 22; John Arang, 30; Rachel Adem, 41; and Liza Baclayon, 23.
Rural Transit has repeatedly warned its drivers to take extra precautions on the road and to drive safely to ensure the safety of their passengers, but the long hours of travels are also very tiring and stressful. (Mindanao Examiner)
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