27 injured as bus turns turtle in Tarlac mishap

At least 27 passengers were injured, at least three of them seriously, after their Manila-bound bus figured in a hit-and-run accident with another bus in Tarlac before dawn Tuesday. Chief Insp. Calixto Bamba, police chief of Concepcion town in Tarlac, said the Philippine Rabbit bus fell into a canal and turned turtle after being hit by a Fariñas bus. "Nag-hit and run, matapos mabangga itong Rabbit, tuloy itong papuntang Baguio. Ang Philippine Rabbit papuntang Manila galing Tarlac (It was a hit-and-run case. The Fariñas bus continued on its way northward to Baguio after hitting the Philippine Rabbit bus, which was on its way to Manila from Tarlac)," Bamba said in an interview on dzBB radio. He said initial reports reaching him indicated that at least 27 passengers, including the Philippine Rabbit bus driver, were rushed to at least two nearby hospitals. Bamba said the mishap occurred at San Francisco village in Concepcion town. He said the bus fell into a deep canal after being hit. Investigator-on-case SPO1 Leoncio Cuaresma said those who were seriously hurt sustained broken arms, broken back, and head injuries, but were otherwise "conscious and coherent." Of the 27 injured, 20 were identified as Anthony Maria Benitez of Sapno, Tarlac; Michael Tadinas of San Rafael, Tarlac; Michael Cruz of Victoria, Tarlac; Joma Sarmiento of Victoria, Tarlac; Christian de Ocampo of Tarlac City; Noel Manahan of Tarlac City; Jose Ducog of La Paz, Tarlac; Amado Torres; Jim Bosabas of Alaminos, Pangasinan; Nelson Mercado of Gerona, Tarlac; Samuel Tupil of Gerona, Tarlac; Reynaldo Fermin of Gerona, Tarlac; Cecilia Ibarra of Tarlac City; Evelyn Domingo of Camiling, Tarlac; Martina Banyaga of Tarlac City; Grace Mirasol of Tarlac City; Norma Tabuno of San Jose, Tarlac; Emilia Tabuno; Lizardo Michael Capiendo of San Rafael, Tarlac; and Cristy Guiao of San Luis, Tarlac. A 21st passenger, Grace Tañedo of Balibago, Tarlac, was among three passengers pinned by the bus. She was placed on a stretcher and could not walk. Bamba said the passengers were rushed to the Sta. Rita Clinic and the Polyclinic Hospital in Concepcion. "Yung may slight injury na papuntang Manila nagsialis na (Those who sustained slight injuries were allowed to go home)," he said. Sta. Rita Hospital nurse-on-duty Ana Pangilinan said 10 to 15 patients were brought to her attention, most of them having minor injuries but three in serious condition. Pangilinan said one of the three patients, whom she did not immediately name, suffered from chest pains, while another vomited blood. A third had a broken hip. "Conscious, coherent naman silang tatlo (But all three are conscious and coherent)," she said. Polyclinic hospital Dr. Pilar Santos said their emergency room could not accommodate all the injured passengers, especially those with head injuries. Santos also admitted the patients will have to be transferred to a better-equipped hospital as her hospital lacks facilities such as CT scans. She said the nearest facility with such equipment will be in Tarlac City. "Kailangan maanuhan agad kasi baka mag-deteriorate ... Critical sila, head injuries, kailangan ma-CT scan ... Dito sa amin walang CT scan, for transfer din sila. Stabilize namin sila tapos transfer (We had to stabilize their condition first, especially those with head injuries. We don't have CT scan equipment here, so we'll stabilize their conditions then transfer them to nearby hospitals with such equipment)," she said. - GMANews.TV