14 hurt in road mishap

By: Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – A family of 13 and a bus passenger suffered minor injuries after a Ceres Liner bus allegedly crashed into a pick-up truck at Barangay Taloc, Bago City, Negros Occidental on June 30, 2019.

Police identified the victims as pick-up driver Joey Banguis, 35, and his passengers Cesar Bolosi, 81; Mary Clyps Marin, 32; Niño Marin, 31; Mary Joy Intes, 38; SweetChelle Grace Empinado, 23; Junjie Abio, 32; Nelmar Buhat, 27; Michael Guardiana, 32; Arman Bartolina, 31; and three children aged 4, 7, and 9; and bus passenger Apolinario Acin, 78.

Police Captain Reynaldo Severino, deputy city police chief, said the Ceres bus driven by Renzo Cadiente was tailing a pick-up truck on their way to Bacolod City when it allegedly hit the rear part of the latter vehicle.

Severino said the pick-up truck reportedly tried to overtake another vehicle it was tailing but it suddenly returned to its original lane, forcing the bus driver to suddenly step on the brakes but it was too late.

The 13 passengers of a pick-up truck came from an outing when it happened.

All victims were brought to the hospital.

Severino said 13 of them were already discharged while the bus passenger is still confined at a hospital when he somehow felt ill.

He said Cadiente was already released from police custody, following a settlement with the Vallacar Transit Inc. (VTI), which already extended help to the victims.