Bus in Visayas crash for Pasay-Laguna route

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has suspended the operations of 15 buses run by Del Monte Land Transport Bus Co. (DLTB) for the April 12 accident involving an out-of-line unit that killed five people in Eastern Samar province.

That unit, it turned out, was only authorized to ply the San Pablo City (Laguna province)-Pasay City route via Alaminos and vice versa, the LTFRB said.

READ: LTFRB suspends 15 DLTB buses over Eastern Samar mishap

“This is the first time we are issuing a 30-day preventive suspension order and requiring a bus company to show cause why it should not be penalized by P1 million and its franchise revoked for violating Joint Administrative Order No. 2014-001 due to a serious offense of operating out-of-line,” LTFRB Chair Winston Ginez said in a statement on Friday.

The DLTB, operated by Del Monte Motor Works Inc. (DMMWI), is given 72 hours to respond. A hearing is set April 22. DMMWI, which is based in Quezon City, received the order Thursday afternoon. DLTB’s principal office is in Pasay City.

A collision between a DLTB bus and a van killed five people—all passengers of the van —and injured several others in Quinapondan town in Eastern Samar on April 12 at 6:40 p.m.

The firm was also directed to surrender the for-hire plates of the 15 buses on Monday.

Within 30 days, the suspended units must be brought to the Land Transportation Office for inspection, and their drivers must undergo drug tests and a road safety seminar. Erika Sauler