By Raymond Carl Dela Cruz | Philippine News Agency
The families of the victims of the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) crash filed civil cases on Friday against Pangasinan Solid North Transit Inc. bus company (Solid North) and its bus driver, seeking a total of P130 million in damages.
Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Vince Dizon together with the family of Jonjon and Daina Janica Alinas filed a civil case at the Quezon City Hall of Justice where they seek P50 million in damages to address the loss of income as well as moral and exemplary damages caused by the Solid North bus crash on May 1.
Dizon likewise joined the families of the other victims when they filed a civil case at a court in Antipolo City for P80 million in damages.
The DOTr chief said in an interview at the Office of the Clerk of Court in Antipolo City, the tragedy was “unacceptable” and “preventable”, “Kaya sabi ng ating Pangulo, alalayan po natin ang mga pamilya hanggang dulo, hanggang makuha nila ang hustisya na dapat nilang makuha.”
In addition to helping the families acquire a lawyer in filing the civil cases, the President is also seeking “sweeping reforms” to ensure that similar incidents do not happen again, such as increasing the insurance coverage of public utility vehicles (PUVs) to be more in line with private vehicles, “Marami pa po tayong reporma na parating dahil sa direksiyon at utos ng Pangulo. At hindi po natin pababayaan ang mga pamilya nagkaroon ng napakabigat na karanasan dito sa mga nangyaring road crash nitong nakaraan.”
He reminded all bus companies that profiting from public conveyance is a privilege granted by the government but it comes with responsibilities, “May responsibilidad po silang malaki para sa kapakanan at safety ng ating mga kababayan. Hindi lang mga pasahero nila kundi pati mga kababayan natin na nasa kalye.”
To date, he said the Solid North bus driver in the incident is out on bail but his license is permanently revoked, “Hindi na siya makakapagmaneho habang-buhay. Hindi na puwede ’yan. At kailangan niya managot at kailangan din managot ang Solid North.”
A total of 10 people, including four children, were killed and 37 others were injured during the multiple-vehicle crash at the Tarlac City toll plaza of SCTEX.
The bus driver involved has since tested negative for illegal drugs, while Solid North was slapped with a 30-day suspension.
