At least eight buses of the Metro Cebu Autobus Corporation were suspended for one month by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board 7 starting Tuesday.
LFTRB-7 Regional Director Ahmed Cuizon announced the suspension after a meeting with company officials yesterday.
Last Monday an Autobus unit collided with an oncoming Toyota Altis sedan in the national highway in Bogo City in north Cebu. Three bus passengers were killed and 37 were injured, including both drivers.
The suspended buses are listed in the same franchise number of the bus that figured in the accident.
Cuizon said Autobus units covered by other franchises can still operate.
Autobus operates a fleet of more than 30 buses.
“We just want to uphold public safety. We want to be sure that the riding public is safe, especially now that it is passenger season because of Christmas,” Cuizon said.
Based on police investigation the bus “was just a second party to the accident” as it was the private car that rammed it but “the suspension is standard operating procedure,” Cuizon said.
During the one-month suspension, the company has to submit the eight buses (including the one involved in the accident) to road worthiness tests and its drivers must be subjected to a drug test.
During yesterday’s LTFRB hearing, bus owner Alfonso Corominas and his lawyer Joel Chavez agreed with the one month suspension, Cuizon said.
Bogo City traffic investigator P03 Edwin Dignos said they have not yet filed charges against the two drivers in the accident as no one showed up at the police station to file a complaint. The bus driver Jose Rosaceña was released yesterday to the custody of the bus company. The Toyota Altis driver Aldrin Presbitero was released last Monday to the custody of his relative. /Jhunnex Napallacan, Correspondent with reports from Correspondent Joy Cherry Quito