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President Gloria Arroyo expressed concern over the rising incidents
of road mishaps in the country prompting her to instruct her
transportation secretary to immediately carry out prevented
measures.
Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said the President
was angry over the accidents involving a mother and a child in
Quezon City and the recent mishap in Lucena City that killed nine
people.
“The President is very angry because of
unnecessary loss of lives. This accident could be prevented,”
Remonde said in a press conference in Sarangani province aired over
the state-run dzRB radio.
He said the President personally called all
stakeholders in the transport sector for a dialogue. She also
instructed Transportation Secretary Leandro Mendoza of the
Department of Transportation and Communication to immediately
imposed necessary prevention measures.
Shortly after midnight Sunday, a Lucena-bound
Lucena Lines bus collided with Manila-bound A. Bragais Liner along
the diversion road of the Maharlika Highway in the village of Domoit
in Lucena City.
Eight bus passengers died on the spot while 41
others were injured. Another passenger who was critically injured in
the head-on collision died Monday evening.
Two weeks before the Lucena City incident, a
three-year-old girl died when she and her mother were hit by a
speeding bus as they crossed the street in Quezon City.
The left hand of the mother, Christine Jumabon,
a civilian employee of the Philippine National Police, had to be
amputated as a result of the accident.
Transportation and Communications Undersecretary
Thompson Lantion ordered Land Transportation Franchising and
Regulatory Board chairman Alberto Suansing to investigate and
possibly suspend the franchise of Jell Transit Bus Co. that was
figured in the incident.
-- Angelo S. Samonte
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