Bus collides with van; 6 dead, 15 hurt

SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga – Six persons were killed while 15 others suffered serious injuries when a van collided with a passenger bus along MacArthur highway in Tarlac City on Sunday.

Van driver Jemor Bueno, 58; and his passengers Ermar Cortez, 8; Teresita Basadre, Silvestre Basadre, Lolita Marzan and Andrea Duran were pronounced dead on arrival at the Tarlac Provincial Hospital.

Nine van and six bus passengers were taken to the same hospital for treatment.

Reports reaching Camp Olivas show the fatalities came from Bicol, where they attended the wake of a relative, and were on their way home to Tuba, La Union at about 4 a.m. when the accident occurred.

The driver of the Santrans bus, Pepito de la Luna, was arrested and charged with reckless imprudence resulting in multiple homicide. He claimed the van was speeding.

Run over by own truck

In Benguet, a farmer died after he was run over by the truck he was driving along Sitio Talukip, Barangay Eddet, Kabayan town on Sunday.

Michael Atolba was delivering vegetables when the truck he was driving encountered mechanical problems. He alighted and went under the truck to find out what was wrong, but the truck moved, pinning him to death.

In Isabela, 20 people were injured when their bus rolled over and hit a concrete fence during heavy downpour in Barangay San Juan, Ilagan City also on Sunday. The victims were taken to the Faustino Dy Sr. Memorial Hospital.

Superintendent Ariel Quilang, Ilagan police chief, said the driver of the Dalin Liner bus, Ariel Canceran, escaped.