TARLAC CITY – A two-year-old boy miraculously survived the fatal five-vehicle collision at the SCTEX toll plaza on Thursday, May 1, but his parents – including his mother, a Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) personnel – perished in the crash.
The boy is now under the care of his relatives, police said.
The tragic accident claimed 10 lives, including the child’s parents, and left 37 others injured.
The crash involved five vehicles: a Toyota Veloz driven by Carlo Mojica of San Fernando City, Pampanga; an 18-wheel truck operated by Darwin Cruel of Tondo, Manila; a Nissan Urvan; a Kia Sonet; and a Solid North Transit bus with license plate UVK-941, driven by Teodoro Merjan of Malawa, Lingayen, Pangasinan.
According to Police Lt. Col. Romel Santos, Tarlac City police chief, the speeding bus slammed into four vehicles that were waiting in line at the toll plaza, allegedly because the driver had fallen asleep.
Based on the report from the Police Regional Office 3, eight people inside the van and two people inside the KIA Sonet were crushed to death. There were two survivors, one each from the two vehicles.
On the other hand, the driver, the conductor and 33 passengers of the bus were injured.
All the injured victims were taken to the Tarlac Provincial Hospital.
The child who survived, his father and mother were aboard the Kia Sonet when the tragedy occurred. The boy was reportedly on the passenger seat.
“’Yung bata ay nakaligtas habang ang magulang nito ay parehong namatay,” said a police investigator.
PCG Commandant Adm. Ronnie Gil Gavan identified the dead female PCG personnel as Seawoman 1 Dain Janica Alinas.
The Alinas family was reportedly headed to Baguio City when the accident occurred.
“Ikinalulungkot po namin sa Philippine Coast Guard ang nangyari,” Gavan said.
The PCG would give financial support worth P250,000 to the kid survivor, who kept on asking for his mom and dad’s whereabouts.
Gavan added that the PCG could also give recognition to Alinas for her five-year service to the agency.
Some of the fatalities were heading to a children’s camp in Pangasinan for an event organized by a church, police said.
Police added that the bus company has assisted in covering expenses for injured passengers.
INDEMNITY
Meanwhile, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has ordered the Passenger Accident Management and Insurance Agency (PAMI) to immediately process and release insurance claims for the victims of the road crash.
“I instructed PAMI to immediately address the needs of those who are involved in the road crash,” said LTFRB Chairperson Teofilo Guadiz III. “They should start identifying the dead bodies and indemnify the families—P400,000 for each deceased passenger.”
According to the LTFRB, the maximum insurance coverage is P400,000 for each bus passenger involved in an accident.
For non-passengers, including pedestrians or occupants of other vehicles affected by the crash, the maximum indemnity is P200,000.
The LTFRB also issued a Preventive Suspension Order (PSO) on 15 public utility buses (PUBs) of the Solid North Transit for a period of 30 days. The suspension order was to take effect “immediately”.
The suspended PUBs have the route Lingayen, Pangasinan to Cubao, Quezon City via EDSA North Expressway with plate numbers UVK-971, UVK-951, UVK-961, UVK-941, UVM-941, UVM-364, UVM-324, UVT-530, UVT-569, UVT-540, AAI-1901, DXN-476, ABE-2905, ABE-2906, and LZYTBTD69D1068034.
The Tarlac City Police Office has taken custody of the driver, whose identity was withheld.
He may face charges for reckless imprudence resulting in multiple homicide, multiple physical injury, and multiple damage to property. He was also subjected to alcohol and drug tests. (Liezle Basa Iñigo, Martin Sadongdong)
