A BUS carrying 22 passengers veered off to a shallow canal in Barangay Buda, Marilog District, on Wednesday morning, July 19.
According to a spot report from the Davao City Police Office (DCPO), around 3 a.m., a V-1 truck wing van, driven by one Rolly Varron Ligaspo, allegedly collided with the left front portion of the V-2 Rural Bus, registered under Rural Transit Mindanao Inc., and driven by one Webster Ayunar Manuel.
The incident occurred on the Davao-Bukidnon National Highway, specifically on the descended and curved portion of Purok 12, Barangay Buda, Marilog District. A V-1 truck loaded with 500 sacks of fertilizer was traveling from Davao to Bukidnon while the bus was en route to Davao City.
Due to the impact of the collision, the bus veered to the right side of the road and toppled into a nearby shallow canal.
Six individuals, including the driver, sustained injuries in the accident. The injured are identified as Alwaleed Guro (16) and Alnaisah Guro (24) from 25-C Poblacion Davao City; Linelda Blancia (53), Gregorio Blancia (57), and Gee Blancia (19) from Dipolo Molave, Zamboanga del Sur; and Webster Ayunar Manuel (58), the bus driver residing at Purok 2, Libertad, Quezon Bukidnon.
Among the 22 passengers on board, two journalists from Radyo Pilipinas Davao, Armando Fenequito and Rochelle Confesor of the Peoples Broadcasting System (PBS), were also present during the accident.
In a Facebook messenger interview, Fenequito shared that he was asleep when the incident occurred. He was awakened when the bus skidded to the right side of the highway, causing him to collide with the seat in front of him.
Following the accident, the injured individuals were swiftly taken to the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) for immediate medical attention by 911 personnel.
The Marilog Police Station is investigating the driver of the wing van and the passenger bus. Speculations from netizens have arisen, suggesting that the drivers of the involved vehicles may have fallen asleep at the wheel.
Given that the accident occurred in the early morning, both drivers may have been drowsy. As a precaution, authorities urged drivers to remain vigilant and avoid drowsiness to ensure passenger safety and prevent accidents.
The Marilog Philippine National Police (PNP) is also examining road conditions in the area, as they suspect that the slippery roads might have contributed to the incident. Hence, they advise everyone to exercise caution and drive carefully.
Staff Sgt. Larry Galaron, Marilog PNP traffic investigator, stated that their investigation into the incident is ongoing. (RGP with reports from JPC)