BACOLOD CITY – Three persons were killed while 36 others were injured after an overloaded passenger jeepney crashed into a tree in Sitio Proper, Barangay Malatas, Calatrava, Negros Occidental on Friday, Nov. 11.
Major Lumyaen Lidawan, Calatrava police chief, identified the victims as Rutchell Visitacion, 32, of Barangay Malatas; Elma Baynosa, 72, of Barangay Hilub-ang; and Aranita Agravante, 63, of Barangay Hinab-ongan.
Lidawan said that most of the injured passengers were high school students and elementary pupils.
The injured, including the driver and conductor, Visitacion’s seven-month-old baby boy, a 14-year-old female student, and a 52-year-old woman, are under observation in separate hospitals.
Lidawan said that five others were referred to a hospital here, 16 others were subjected to X-ray, and 12 others sustained minor injuries and were discharged from the hospital.
He said that it took an hour for rescuers to remove the fatalities from the vehicle as they were stuck due to the impact.
Lidawan said the vehicle driven by Jose Jequito Florencondia, 53, of Barangay Suba, was approaching the descending part of the road when its brakes malfunctioned.
Police said that Florencondia tried to control the vehicle but it swerved when it accelerated after passing through humps.
The vehicle hit two houses and two motorcycles parked on the roadside before crashing into the tree, Lidawan said.
The houses were damaged while the motorcycles were destroyed, he added.
Lidawan said the vehicle had only a capacity of 22 persons, including the driver and the conductor. ‘’But it exceeded more than 100 percent of its capacity,’’ he said.
He said that they also discovered that the vehicle is out of route as their franchise only covers San Carlos City to Escalante City.
Due to this, Lidawan said they will refer this violation to the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).
Lidawan said that the jeepney driver is now under police custody and will be charged for reckless imprudence resulting in multiple homicide, multiple injuries, and damage to properties.