MANILA, Philippines — A passenger bus fell off the Skyway near the Sucat exit, killing the driver and two passengers while injuring three others, Skyway officials said Tuesday.
Initial investigation showed that the Dimples Star Transport bus bearing body number 7511 and plate number KYW 606 was on its way to Alabang, Muntinlupa, when it crashed on the West Service Road near the Sucat exit at around 11 a.m.
Skyway vice president Ed Nepomuceno said the incident was recorded on CCTV camera.
The airconditioned bus was described as a total wreck after it fell more than 40 feet from the Skyway to the West Service Road.
The bus was said to be racing with another along the Skyway right before the accident.
The victims were taken to the Parañaque Medical Center and Parañaque Doctors Hospital.
The bus driver, identified as Joven Hustol, was declared dead on arrival at 12:20 p.m. due to massive bleeding and trauma to the abdomen, while victims Anthony Abarra and Lorenzo Gabo did not survive treatment and died at the hospital a few hours after the incident.
Meanwhile, one of the injured victims was identified as bus conductor Jonathan Alibar.
Alibar said the bus was only traveling at 60 kilometers per hour on the Skyway when the driver lost control of the vehicle because of strong winds and slippery road conditions.
Malacañang immediately expressed disappointment over another fatal accident involving a passenger bus and reminded bus operators of their responsibility to ensure the safety of passengers.
Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said President Aquino is always displeased by news of accidents involving public utility vehicles.
“The President is very, very displeased whenever he hears bus accidents as they (should) have the extraordinary diligence to protect the riding public,” Lacierda said.
He said bus operators who do not properly maintain their vehicles should be reprimanded.
He said the government will take to account bus operators with records of frequent accidents.
“Kung pera lang ang nananaig sa kanila instead of making sure the safety of the riding public is the first consideration, then I think we should seriously consider the franchises of these buses which have incurred a number of accidents,” Lacierda said. (With a report from Madel Sabater)
source: Bus falls off Skyway; three die, three hurt | The Manila Bulletin Newspaper Online