40 hurt as bus falls into Compostela Valley ravine

Forty miners in Compostela Valley province in southern Philippines were injured when the bus they were riding fell into a ravine over the weekend, police said on Monday. In a text message, provincial police head Senior Superintendent Aaron Aquino said that when the bus stopped along the road, "the surface of the front right tire of the bus gave way, causing the bus to slip and subsequently fall into the ravine approximately 60-feet deep." The bus was hired by Apex Mining Company and was driven by a certain Joseph Moran. The miners were heading to Barangay Masara in Maco town. The incident occurred about 3:20 p.m. last Sunday, March 21. Aquino did not indicate the exact location of the accident. Aquino said 15 passengers were treated at the Tagum Doctors Hospital while the remaining 24 were treated at the Bishop Regan Hospital. Both hospitals are located in Tagum City. — with Sophia Dedace/RSJ, GMANews.TV