30 hurt as bus loses brakes in Batangas

By Ronron
June 24, 2007

Thirty people were hurt after a passenger bus lost control and almost fell off a ravine on Sunday afternoon in Batangas province, police said.

The Supreme Bus (plate number DUR-375), driven by Carlito Amular, was negotiating a downward curve in Barangay Sabang, Ibaan town when its brakes allegedly failed to function, forcing Amular to bump the vehicle against the concrete blocks and trees beside the highway.

SPO1 Jose Maralit, duty desk officer of the Ibaan Municipal Police Station, said the incident happened at around 4:30 pm as the bus was about to reach its final stop in Batangas City. Barangay Sabang is the last village in Ibaan before Batangas City.

Maralit said fortunately, the concrete roadblocks and trees cushioned the speed of the bus and prevented it from falling off a 30-meter deep ravine. “Just a little more and the bus would have fallen into the ravine,” he said.

Unfortunately, however, all 30 passengers of the non-airconditioned bus sustained different kinds of injuries, such as fractures and bruises, as a result of the impact, said Maralit.

They were all brought to the Batangas Regional Hospital in Batangas City for medical treatment.

Amular and his conductor, on the other hand, were detained at the Ibaan Police Station for investigation. The two could be charged with reckless imprudence resulting to multiple physical injuries, said Maralit.

Maralit said the ill-fated bus came from Lucena City in Quezon province./DMS