5 killed, 20 wounded as bus, trailer collide in Cebu province

CEBU CITY, Philippines—Five persons were killed while more than 20 others were wounded on Wednesday afternoon when the bus they were riding in was hit head-on by a trailer prime mover that was carrying a bulldozer in Naga City, 21.7 kilometers south of this city.

Among those killed was Antonito Omagay, of Barangay (village) Punta Princesa in Cebu City, who was the driver of the trailer prime mover (GUF 405) that was heading to Cebu City from Toledo City to deliver the bulldozer.

PO2 Cristino Canono, Naga police investigator, told the Philippine Daily Inquirer in a phone interview that a woman and four men were killed on the spot while those injured were taken to the Carmen Copper Corp. Hospital in Don Andres Soriano (DAS) in Toledo.

He said that based on their initial investigation, the trailer prime mover was maneuvering a downhill curve in Sitio (settlement) Gaway-gaway, Barangay Uling, in Naga about 4:45 p.m. Wednesday when it lost its brakes.

The prime mover rammed into an approaching bus (GWH 253) owned by BT Bus Liner, which was also cruising uphill from Cebu City and was heading to Toledo.

“Nawad-an og brake mao nga gidaro gyud  niya ang gikasukat nga bus (The prime mover lost its brakes and plowed into the approaching bus),” Canono said.

After dragging the bus on the side of the road, the trailer rammed into a mango tree. Omagay was pinned inside the driver’s seat, said Canono.