15 persons hurt in road mishap

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – Fifteen persons, including a principal and some high school students, were injured after a passenger jeepney fell into a canal in Barangay Hilamonan, Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental last Thursday.

Two of the 15 victims were identified as elementary school principal Teresita Torres, 53, of Barangay 9, and Jezrel Losyoy, 23, of Barangay Camingawan, a jeepney conductor.

Based on police investigation, a passenger jeepney driven by 37-year-old Zaldy Bendita encountered mechanical trouble after it overtook a tricycle.

Bendita lost control of the vehicle and crashed into the edge of the perimeter wall of a residential village before falling into a canal.

All the victims suffered minor injuries and were taken to a hospital. Thirteen students were already discharged while the principal and the conductor are still confined, according to the police.

Police Lieutenant Colonel John Joel Batusbatusan, city police chief, said the jeepney driver will be released from police custody after the victims decided not to press charges against him.