News Briefs

Bus driver goes free

Both drivers in the Naga bus crash that injured 28 passengers were released from the Naga City police jail yesterday.

With no complainants filed against him, bus driver Marcial Vasquez was released at about 11 a.m.

SPO1 Ian Quitayin of the Naga City police precinct said Vasquez was freed a day after Ernesto Baclaan, driver of  the  10-wheeler dump truck was also released from jail.

Vasquez drove the Benet Calvo passenger bus that collided with the truck and  fell on its side in a road canal by the highway of  barangay Mainit, Toledo City, last Thursday.

He initially went missing from the accident scene but turned himself over a day after.

Police said bus passengers who went to the police station just claimed their belongings that were left in the site.   None of them filed a complaint.

Quitayin said if the incident resulted in someone’s death,  Vasquez won’t be released because of a charge of homicide.

Vasquez drove the Calvo bus bearing plate GWH-253, which swerved onto the lane of an oncoming  10-wheeler dump truck headed for  Cebu City.

Passengers said the bus driver increased his speed as he negotiated a curve and tried to overtake another truck.

The bus turned crashed  by the roadside and overturned. Police said the bus owner took care of the hospital bills of the injured passengers. Correspondent Rhea Ruth V. Rosell

2   turtles Set Free in Mactan

Two hawksbill sea turtles were released at the seashore of Shangri-La’s Mactan Island Resort & Spa in  Lapu-Lapu City yesterday.

The creatures were freed in simple rites witnessed by Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Paz Radaza and the resort’s resident manager Walid Wafik together with Task Force Kalikasan (TFK) headed by SPO1 Jomar Ybañez.

The estimated 6-year-old female sea turtle weighed 12.4 kilos and the male sea turtle weighed 7.5 kilos.

They were cared for by Fe Acuymo, a businesswoman dealing in tropical fishes used for display in restaurants and aquariums.

Acuymo, whose business is based in barangay Suba-basbas, bought the turtles from a fisherman for P200 each.

“I know it’s an endangered species but I bought them because they  may be sold to someone who would slaughter them,” she said.

Radaza thanked Acuymo for turning over the turtles.

SPO1 Ybañez said this was the second time a sea turtle was turned over to them from  barangay Kalawisan and barangay Suba-Basbas.

He said residents there have learned that endangered species, such as the sea turtles, should not be kept and should instead be freed into the sea.Correspondent Norman V. Mendoza