7 injured in Cebu bus mishap

CEBU CITY, Philippines—Seven passengers, including a pregnant woman, were injured before dawn Saturday when a when a Ceres bus slammed into a parked 10-wheel truck after overtaking another vehicle on the national highway in Barangay Inuburan, Naga City, about 22 kilometers south of this city.

The bus, which had 21 passengers aboard, was heading to Cebu City from Oslob when it hit the rear the flatbed truck at about 4 a.m., said Police Officer 1 Jason Panilag, Naga police desk officer.

He said the truck (GWX 223) was parked along the road because its driver, Gary Panilagao, had gone home to eat.

Bus driver Antonio Indino told the police he did not notice the truck because there was no early warning device, said Panilag.

Indino said he hit the truck when he returned to his lane after overtaking another vehicle.

Seven passengers were hurt. One of them was Rita Remonida, 34, a resident of Argao town who is six-month pregnant. She was rushed to the South General Hospital in Naga City.

Panilag said two teenagers who were with Remonida were also hurt. He identified them as Charice Remonida, 13, and Raiza Remonida, 11. The policeman, however, didn’t know if the three were related.

The four others were Derilos Javier, 23, also from Argao; Lyndon Magno, 30, from Dalaguete town; Cristuta Bowacan, 35, from Tuburan town;  and Oscar Ong, 64, from Sibonga town.

Panilag said Indino was detained pending the filing of charges of reckless imprudence resulting in multiple injuries. Should the victims decide not to press charges, Indino would be released, Panilag added.

Naga City Mayor Valdemar Chiong urged drivers to avoid parking their vehicles on roadsides to without the legally mandatory early warning devices.