10 hurt in bus accident on killer highway; LTO starts predawn patrols

Nearly a week after a road accident there claimed the life of journalist-professor Lourdes “Chit" Estella-Simbulan, the Land Transportation Office (LTO) started fielding predawn traffic enforcers to catch speedsters along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City. But while the LTO teams managed to flag down several buses caught traveling beyond the 60-kph limit, they failed to prevent yet another bus-related accident along the “killer highway" that hurt 10 people Thursday. “Yung mga matulin magpatakbo na mga bus na ito akala nila siguro walang nagpapatrolya ngayong araw. Ang isa beating the red light malapit sa Regalado, nahirapan kaming habulin dahil sa tulin (Speedsters think there is no one around to enforce traffic rules before dawn. We caught one bus beating the red light. We had a hard time going after it because of its speed)," former LTO chief Alberto Suansing, now a consultant of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC), said in an interview on dzBB radio. He said they also caught a Safeway Bus going off even before one of its passengers can board properly. He said the passenger almost fell on the ground. Suansing said the LTO teams’ predawn deployment to Commonwealth Avenue stemmed from the orders of DOTC Secretary Jose de Jesus to intensify LTO patrols along major thoroughfares. The LTO’s predawn patrols would also cover other major thoroughfares leading to Epifanio delos Santos Avenue (EDSA), he said. “De Jesus ordered us to increase patrols especially along Commonwealth Avenue. We are going to work together with the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA)," he said. Authorities clamped down on Commonwealth Avenue almost immediately after Estella-Simbulan was killed in a road accident there last May 13. Police investigation showed a bus sideswiped the taxi carrying Estella-Simbulan, after which another bus rammed the cab from behind. The driver of the killer bus, Daniel Espinosa, remains at large. 10 hurt in predawn bus accident Despite the predawn patrols, two buses figured in an accident on the "killer highway" injuring at least 10 passengers and pinning the driver. The incident occurred before 5 a.m. near the Dahlia area in North Fairview village, radio dzBB’s Allan Gatus reported. LTO teams needed an hour to extricate the bus driver by destroying his seat and the steering wheel. The injured driver and passengers were brought to nearby hospitals, even as traffic in the area was snarled. LTO patrol teams are verifying claims that the two buses – a Claro Transit and a Nova bus – were "racing" when the incident occurred. An initial investigation showed the Nova bus was ahead but suddenly stopped, and the Claro Transit bus rammed it from behind. The driver of the Claro Transit bus was pinned to his seat. — LBG, GMA News