38 hurt in 2 separate Quezon road accidents

LUCENA CITY , Philippines – At least 37 motorists and one local resident were injured in two separate road accidents in Tagkawayan town and Tayabas City in Quezon province on Thursday and Friday, police said.

In Tagkawayan, a Manila-bound passenger bus owned by the Elavil Tours Philippine Inc. and driven by Allan Robles, crashed into the roadside metal railings in Barangay (village) San Diego at around 12:30 a.m. Friday.

The bus crashed into the railings while negotiating a descending curved section of the highway, Major Elizabeth Capistrano, Quezon police public information officer, said in a report.

The wayward bus then tilted on its right side and destroyed a garage where two motorcycles were parked.

Police said 18 of the 70 bus passengers and the motorcycle owner were injured. They were rushed to the Ma. Lourdes Eleazar Memorial District Hospital at the town center.

According to police, the overloaded bus was allegedly speeding. Report said the bus driver escaped after the incident.

Meanwhile, in Tayabas City, at least 19 passengers of a van were also injured after its driver, Crispin Almarinez Jr., accidentally lost control of the vehicle while traversing a provincial road in Barangay Lakawan at around 11:30 a.m. Thursday.

The vehicle hit a narra tree before overturning.

Police said Almarinez and the van’s passengers were rushed to the Tayabas Community Hospital after sustaining serious to slight injuries. (Editor: Mike U. Frialde)