Ecija bus crash victims start getting fund aid

Probe still inconclusive

By Raymund Catindig

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya -- Families of those who died when an overloaded minibus fell into a deep ravine in Nueva Ecija on April 18 have started claiming P200,000 for each victim in passenger insurance, even as the cause of the crash has not yet been conclusively  determined by authorities. 

Latest count showed 34 persons were killed and 43 others injured after the Leomarick minibus from Ilagan, Isabela with 77 passengers plunged into a deep ravine in Barangay Capintalan.       

Aileen Lizada, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board regional spokesperson, said the Passenger Accident Management and Insurance Agency started releasing checks at their office Bayombong office, since Monday. 

Lizada said the families of the fatalities should bring the needed documents, including birth certificates, marriage contracts and identification cards, to receive the assistance. 

She said the operator of the ill-fated bus, Leonardo Patulot, promised to shoulder the medical expenses of the injured victims aside from passenger insurance of P20,000 each. 

The LTFRB set a hearing on the accident on May 2.

Two weeks have passed but the LTFRB still has not determined the cause of the accident involving the Leomarick Trans Bus. LTFRB Chairman Martin Delgra III said the investigation that the agency is conducting is yet to be completed.

Based on statements made by the bus passenger, some say the engine shut down and lost its brakes. While others say the right front wheel burst.

“Na yung bus daw namatayan ng makina, 4 curves before it fell. Napansin na rin nila na nagsisigawan na at tsaka nakita nila talagang the vehicle was already out of control,” Chair. Delgra III said. (Some said the bus engine shut down four curves before it fell. They also noticed that some passengers were already screaming and saw the vehicle was already out of control.)

LTFRB added that based on the investigation, the Leomarick Trans Bus was out of line, which means, the bus should not have traversed the road.

“So this is out of line. As it appears now, based on our franchise verification,” Chair. Delgra III added.

The Philippine National Police Nueva Vizcaya said that until now there are still bodies left unidentified at the funeral parlor.

“Three cadavers remain unidentified. Two females and one male,” Insp. Robert De Guzman said. 

This, as injured victims of the bus accident can avail themselves of free hospitalization at the Veterans Regional Hospital (VRH) in in Carranglan, Nueva Ecija.

Hospital chief Cerilo Galindez said they would shoulder all  medical expenses, including medicine and food.

Galindez said 10 of the 29 victims confined at VRH would undergo bone implant.

“The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office provided the metal for the surgery,’’ he said.

Last week, President Duterte through LTFRB chairman Martin Delgra handed P1.11 million in financial assistance to the families of the fatalities and survivors of the accident.

Delgra also supervised the distribution of P8.77 million in insurance benefits for the families of the fatalities aside from P20,000 to each of the survivors.