A VENDOR died while 10 others were injured when the bus they were riding crashed into a hill in Bilar, Bohol Province on Thursday morning, December 8, 2022.
The victim was identified as 69-year-old Erlinda Anob, who was on her way to Tagbilaran City to sell pork rinds, banana chips and fish crackers.
She suffered multiple fractures as a result of the impact.
Police have yet to get the names of the 10 who were hurt as they were rushed to different hospitals.
According to Staff Sergeant Mark Cabusao, investigator at the Bilar Police Station, the Mountain Eagle Transit bus driven by Joseph Salem Ratilla, 39, had just entered the man-made forest in Barangay Aurora in the town when Ratilla noticed that the brakes weren’t working.
At first, he kept quiet because he didn’t want to rattle his 25 passengers, but they couldn’t help notice that the bus wasn’t slowing down while it traversed the winding road.
Ratilla said he had no choice but to look for a spot to crash the bus. He found the foot of a hill with a lot of trees and drove straight into it. The other side was a cliff, he said.
Cabusao said the accident happened around 9:30 a.m. but they didn’t receive the report until half an hour later.
Cabusao said they are preparing charges against Ratilla, who is in their custody. (BBT)