MANILA — The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has grounded 10 buses of Dimple Star Bus after one of the company’s units figured in an accident that killed 19 people in Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro Tuesday evening.
The LTFRB has ordered the suspension of the following buses with routes traversing San Jose, Occidental Mindoro to Manila via Mamburao, Abra de Ilog: TYU 708, TYU 909, TYU 807, TYU 789, TYZ 800, TYZ 801, TYZ 700, TYZ 881, and PTO 367.
The suspension would last for 30 days according to the Board’s memorandum which was released to the media Wednesday.
The LTFRB has directed Dimple Star to inspect and determine the roadworthiness of its buses and for its drivers and conductors to undergo road safety seminar during the effectivity of the suspension order.
A Dimple Star Bus fell onto a cliff along a national highway in Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro Tuesday evening.
The bus (TYU 708) was traveling on a northbound direction from San Jose to Abra de Ilog when the vehicle reportedly lost control and fell into a cliff, killing 19 passengers and injuring 21 others.
The Occidental Mindoro Provincial Health Office said 15 out of the 19 fatalities have been identified while 17 of the 21 injured were admitted to nearby hospitals.
The LTFRB assured that financial assistance will be provided to the victims.
“For the deceased that are single, their birth certificate and ID of the parents should be submitted. For those who are married, the marriage certificate and ID of the surviving spouse should be filed. They need to submit these documents in order to fast track the release of the financial assistance,” LTFRB board member Aileen Lizada said in a text message to reporters.
Dimple Star was involved in four other road crashes in the past seven years, based on Passenger Accident Management and Insurance Agency records.
In 2014, the LTFRB also suspended Dimple Star after a bus (TYS 454) collided with a 10-wheeler truck along the Southern Tagalog Arterial Road Tollway in Barangay Bulacnin, Lipa City. The crash left two people dead and 53 others injured.
Dimple Star has 10 existing certificates of public convenience for 120 bus units. (PNA)
