By Sammy Martin, Correspondent

EIGHT people died and 25 suffered multiple injuries when a passenger bus plowed two vehicles coming from opposite direction at pre-dawn Wednesday in Cauayan City, Isabela, Wednesday before daybreak. Initial report reaching Camp Crame revealed that a Dagupan Bus Lines bound for Tuao, Cagayan, collided with a Toyota Hi-Lux pick-up heading for Manila along the national highway in Barangay Tagaran in Cauayan City.

Many of the victims are natives of the province and neighboring Cagayan who were to spend All Saints’ Day with their relatives. The Cagayan-bound bus reportedly left its terminal in Cubao, Quezon City, at about 6 p.m. the night before day.

The eight fatalities included the pick-up’s driver, identified as Perlito Bautista, and seven bus passengers.
Six bodies were brought to the Funeraria Carbonel in Cauayan City for autopsy. The incident occurred at about 3:30 a.m.

According to Chief Supt. Roberto Damian, Cagayan Valley police head, an Isuzu D-Max vehicle driven by Mamentino Daturan and the Hi-Lux collided during the incident, causing Bautista’s immediate death.

Bautista, reportedly a manager of the Cauayan City branch of Universal Leaf Corp., was on his way home when tragedy struck.

Scene investigators said the bus swerved and hit first the Toyota Hi-Lux before it rammed into the concrete fence of the Taggaran bridge and fell.

Fourteen of those who were wounded were rushed to the Cauayan District Hospital, while 10 were taken to the Garcias General Hospital in the city. The other victims were brought to Cauayan Specialist Hospital.

The driver of Dagupan Bus Lines immediately fled after the incident but later surrendered to the police, claiming he ran to avoid being lynched by the mob who rushed to the scene.

Investigators are now preparing multiple and frustrated multiple homicides through reckless imprudence against the bus driver whose identity is being withheld pending investigation.
With report from Francis Hidalgo Jr.