BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya—Ian Boy Fernandez, 12, one of the survivors of the ill-fated Leomarick bus that fell into a ravine in Carranglan, Nueva Ecija, heard an unusual sound coming from the bus’ engine that prompted him to jump out of the window to save himself.
“I heard the engine sound, it was very loud. As if the gears malfunctioned so I decided to jump before it rammed a concrete barrier and eventually fell into the ravine,” he said in Ilocano.
Fernandez said he saw sprawled bodies of the passengers who were asking for help after the bus split into many parts.
“There were many bystanders who came but only took pictures with their cellphones instead of helping. The Igorots who were living in the vicinity were the ones who came in to help us,” Fernandez said.
Health officials here said more than 30 passengers died while more than 20 more were being treated and confined in various hospitals in the province.
Dr. Edwin Galapon, provincial health officer, identified 11 fatalities as Ruperto Maddawin, Gilbert Mariano Sr., Judy Marquez, Rosalyn Bondoc, Cherry Mae Salem, Jovita Returban, Alfredo Locero, Gladys Pacada, Catherine Manglapus, Luisa Pahinag, and Jessabel Lalmas.
The victims were from the provinces of Nueva Ecija, Abra, Nueva Vizcaya, Isabela and Cagayan.
“We are still in the process of identifying the other dead victims. Relatives of the dead and injured are now in the province to claim their bodies,” he said.
George Basilio, health education and promotions officer of the Veterans Regional Hospital in Bayombong town, said there are still unclaimed bodies and injured victims being treated.
Gov. Carlos Padilla lauded the efforts of all rescue volunteers, the Philippine National Police, health workers and the members of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office for the immediate response to the bus crash.
Police said the death toll from the crash rose to 32 and said overloading could have made the crash more likely.
The accident, which saw the bus come off a winding road to fall 24 meters into a ravine in the upland province of Nueva Ecija on Tuesday, also left 46 injured with four still in a critical condition, said Senior Supt.t Antonio Yarra.
“The wheel burst and that caused the bus to fall into ravine. It seems that it [the bus] was overloaded. Because of the overloading, it was beyond the capacity of the wheel to hold,” Yarra, the provincial police chief, said.
He said a count determined there were 77 passengers on board, much higher than earlier estimates.
He declined to say who might be held responsible as the investigation was ongoing.
Carranglan Mayor Mary Abad blamed drivers for the frequent accidents at the site and asked the national government to build an alternative route in Dalton Pass.
“We have already installed signs that it is a sharp curve so drivers of various types of vehicles should slow down when approaching this site. The problem with these drivers is they are reckless,” she said.
Abad said that in past years, passenger buses and truckloads of palay also fell into the ravine.
Abad said that it’s high time for the national government to pursue the construction of an alternate route to Dalton Pass which will skirt the Capintalan portion.
Senator Grace Poe called again for the creation of a National Transport Safety Board following the Nueva Ecija bus accident that killed at least 32 people.
In a statement, Poe also said the necessary assistance should be extended by authorities and the bus company to the victims and their relatives.
She also cited the need for a thorough investigation to hold liable those responsible and give justice to victims,” Poe said.
“This incident again underscored the need for a National Transport Safety Board to conduct an independent probe on accidents and create policies and programs to avoid dangers on the road,” said Poe. With Macon Ramos Araneta