29 injured in Aborlan road mishap
Twenty-nine people suffered cuts and bruises when the RORO bus they were riding rolled on its side Monday morning after accidentally colliding into a six-wheeler dump truck on the national road in Barangay Plaridel, Aborlan town. Inspector Benigno Conde, Aborlan Municipal Police Station (MPS) chief, told Palawan News that the injured includes senior citizens and children. He said the bus that is being operated by RORO Bus Transport Services, Inc. (RBTSI) and the dump truck owned by Macasaet Builders and Trading met the accident around 10:00 a.m. Conde said the bus came from Barangay Rio Tuba, Bataraza, and was on its way to Puerto Princesa City when the accident happened. The dump truck, on the other hand, was on its way to Sitio Valderama, Barangay Magsaysay, to unload gravel and sand. “Pagdating niya (RORO bus) dito sa may Plaridel, paglampas ng tulay, meron dyang tambakan ng mga graba [at] mga buhangin na pag-aari ng Macasaet Builders and Trading. ‘Yong kanilang imbakan ay malapit lang sa tabing kalsada. Ang problema ay walang spotter sa highway, walang tumitingin kung may parating. Kabilaan dapat mayroong spotter,” Conde said. He said the spotter is the ground guide when the driver or operator of heavy equipment such as the dump truck does not have a full view of the backing path or the road where it is going to make a turn. Conde said the RORO bus fell on its side after it hit the front of the six-wheeler dump truck near a bridge in Plaridel. “Mabuti na lamang ay may barandilya (railing) o harang sa may tulay at hindi tuluyang nahulog ang bus sa bangin,” Conde said. “Dito sa record namin, sa nakuha namin na mga nasugatan, 28 plus ‘ yong driver ng RORO bus, mga 29. Base sa report mga gasgas, bukol, pero wala namang serious injury. Yong harap ng RORO, ‘yong salamin basag, kung titingnan mo nga ay medyo malala ang tama ng driver, pero awa ng Diyos hindi naman siya masyadong nasaktan,” he said. The victims were rushed to the Aborlan Medicare Hospital (AMH) for the treatment of their injuries, he said. Conde declined to provide the names of both drivers, claiming they are still finishing their investigation regarding the accident. Members of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), barangay officials, and the Aborlan Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Office (CDRRMO), arrived and moved the two vehicles to the side of the road to prevent another accident. “Mangangalap pa tayo [ng impormasyon] kung magpa-file sila ng demanda bawat kabilaang (kampo),” said Conde. He said anyone who will be found at fault between the two drivers will be charged for reckless imprudence with damage to property and physical injury.
“Pareho kasi silang may mali kung titingnan mo, may human error. Titignan natin kung ano man ‘yong mapag-usapan nila,” he added.