Duterte gives financial aid to Mindoro bus crash victims, relatives

President Rodrigo Duterte talks to LTFRB Chairman Martin B. Delgra III during his visit to the crash site of a Dimple Star bus in Sablayan. (Photo courtesy of CHRISTOPHER GO)

President Rodrigo Duterte has extended financial aid to the families of the victims of a bus crash in Sablayan town in Occidental Mindoro that left 19 people dead and 21 others injured.

Duterte was in Sablayan town, Occidental Mindoro to visit not only the crash site but also the victims of the road mishap, presidential spokesman Harry Roque said in a statement issued on Saturday.

“The President gave P20,000 to each family of the deceased and P10,000 plus cellphone for every injured,” Roque said.

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Roque also said that Duterte had directed transport officials to ensure the safety of travelers during the Holy Week.

Cancellation of franchise

Meanwhile, Duterte has ordered the cancellation of the franchise of Dimple Star, the bus firm involved in the fatal crash, Roque said.

“There will be a scheduled hearing on April 18, where the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) will initiate the processing of the cancellation,” Roque said.

READ: LTFRB suspends bus firm involved in fatal Mindoro road mishap

“For the time being, the LTFRB has issued a 30-day preventive suspension order covering the entire fleet of Dimple Star, which consists 118 bus units,” he said.

According to Roque, the LTFRB said that families of those who died would directly be receiving P200,000 while those injured would receive P20,000 from the Passenger Accident Management and Insurance Agency.

Bus firm owner to cooperate with police

The owner of Dimple Star, Hilbert Napat, went to the Philippine National Police (PNP) headquarters in Camp Crame on Friday night.

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In a Radyo Inquirer 990 AM report by Mark Makalalad, Napat said that he went to Camp Crame to show his sincerity in cooperating with authorities investigating the incident.

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Napat also said the company was ready to pay for the victims’ hospital bills, adding that he would first tend to the victims of the bus crash before focusing on the impending cancellation of the firm’s franchise.

Roel Obusan, director of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), welcomed his vow to cooperate in the investigation. /atm