11 people hurt as passenger bus switches lanes in Edsa underpass

Ten bus passengers and the driver of a private vehicle were injured after a bus passing through an underpass on the northbound lane of Edsa in Cubao, Quezon City, crossed over to the opposite lane and collided with two other vehicles.

According to a traffic investigator, Santrans bus driver Dexter Hermogenes, 29, will be charged with reckless imprudence resulting in damage to property and multiple physical injuries for Monday’s accident which happened at 5:15 a.m.

It was not clear if he would be also slapped with a traffic citation for violating a ban imposed in July by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority on the use of flyovers and underpasses by city and provincial buses.

Traffic investigator SPO4 Henry Se said the Santrans bus (PVB 263) smashed into a DLTB bus (TYX 997) and a Toyota Corolla (PLI 796) which were both on the southbound lane of the P. Tuazon Boulevard-Edsa underpass.

The accident resulted in injuries to 11 people, including Erano Cuevas, 60, the driver of the Corolla, who were rushed to East Avenue Medical Center for treatment.

The others were identified as Gregorio Mana, 46; Richard Bagalay, 20; Reggie

Elgarab, 29; Roland Castillo, 39; Reynante Saguirel, 18; Joselito Rada, 43; Timothy Rada; Laurence Alonzo, 26; Jayson Santos, 26; and Dogillo Pablo, 23.

Se said the Santrans bus driver had claimed that a dump truck tried to overtake his vehicle, forcing him to swerve to the right. The truck, however, cut into his path and then made a sudden stop, prompting him to turn the wheel hard to the left.

As a result, his bus went over the center island in the underpass and crossed over to the opposite lane where it hit the two other vehicles.