MALAYBALAY CITY, Bukidnon–Two bus passengers and a pedestrian were killed in a road accident here at about 3:30 p.m. Thursday.
Police identified the two bus passengers who died on the spot as Irene Gaa, 33, married, resident of Carmen, Cagayan de Oro City, and Regine Abug, 10, resident of Barangay Maligaya, Malaybalay City.
The pedestrian was identified as Jomaica Tacay, 14, resident of Barangay Patpat, Malaybalay City.
Ronalyn Montemayor, Regine Abug’s mother who sustained minor injuries, said the management of the bus company shouldered the casket expenses for her daughter. She added that the bus company also promised to shoulder the medical expenses of her three other children.
“I and my four children were on board the bus. Regine, one of my children. died on the spot while my three other minor children are still at a hospital subject to CT Scan procedure,” Montemayor said.
She said they were surprised when the bus suddenly swerved and landed beyond the road shoulder of the opposite lane.
SPO3 Marissa Sabejon, 45, married and a resident Barangay Kauswagan of Impasug-ong town, was one of the injured passengers. She sustained serious physical injuries and was rushed to a private hospital in Malaybalay.
All other passengers sustained injuries but most of them were outpatients.
The passenger bus of RTMI, with plate no. KVR 367, was en route from Cagayan de Oro City to Valencia City when the accident happened, said PO3 Douglas Macalo, city traffic investigator. It was carrying 26 passengers, including the driver and the bus conductor.
Police quoted the driver, Benjamin Marinay Jr., 37, as saying that he noticed a pedestrian who ran across the road coming from the right shoulder, prompting him to step on the brakes and causing the vehicle to swerve left and crash on a church building.
Representatives of the bus company, who were at the police station, declined to be interviewed saying they have a meeting with the police investigator. (PNA)
