MANILA (Mindanao Examiner / Feb. 7, 2014) – A bus carrying dozens of passengers plunged off a deep ravine on Friday in northern Philippines and killing at least 14 people, two of them foreigners and a Filipino actor-comedian, police said.
Senior Inspector Benjamin Chelloy, Cordillera police chief, said they are investigating the cause of the accident which occurred in the town of Bontoc in Mountain Province. “We are still investigating the accident that left 14 people dead, including Arvin Jimenez,” Chelloy said, referring to the actor who was popularly known as Tado, also an activist.
The foreigners who perished in the accident have been identified as Canadian Alex Larring and Anna van Deven, from The Netherlands.
Chelloy, quoting several survivors and a motorcycle rider, said the bus, owned by GV Florida, apparently lost it break and fell off the 120-foot ravine.
The fall tore off the roof of the bus which rolled down the ravine, pinning many of the passengers to death and those who survived suffered fractures and internal injuries. Local farmers were the first to arrive at the foot of the ravine and pulled out the injured passengers until emergency workers and soldiers arrived to help in the rescue operation.
Chelloy said the driver of the bus and his co-driver were both injured in the accident. “One motorcycle rider told police that he saw the wayward bus hitting the rocky edge of the ravine before falling off,” he said.
Jimenez’s companion said they were in a group of about 15 people, mostly artists and photographers, and heading to Kalinga province to celebrate the birthday of a friend’s child when the accident occurred that also killed 2 others.
Police said about three dozen people were injured in the accident. (Mindanao Examiner)
20