Four die as bus, truck collide at SCTEX

January 31, 2019

Four people died when a bus and a truck collided at the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) Thursday morning. 

According to an initial police report, at 5:10 am a tourist bus carrying 50 passengers, mostly government employees, was travelling northbound in Concepcion, Tarlac area "accidentally bumped" the rear of a cargo truck. 

In a phone interview over dzMM, Robin Ignacio, North Luzon Expressway-SCTEX traffic management and safety head, quoted passengers saying the bus was moving at ''high speed''. 

"Allegedly, according to the passengers, the bus was really fast. It is still being investigated if the bus driver really drove the vehicle at high speed or he miscalculated it. They are also looking into possibility that the driver fell asleep," Ignacio said. 

The fatalities were Ricardo Aledia, Isidro Brabante, Laila Abito, and the tour guide identified as Ruel Castillo. 

The rest sustained injuries and were brought to different hospitals. Police said they are conducting an investigation regarding the accident. Cristina Eloisa Baclig/DMS