South Korean, 20 others hurt as bus falls into ravine

CABANATUAN CITY, Philippines — Twenty-one people, including a South Korean and a five-month-old boy, were injured when a Dingalan-bound bus fell down a 20-foot-deep ravine in Barangay (village) Caragsacan, Dingalan,  in Aurora province on Tuesday night, police said.

The Danilo Express bus was cruising on the national highway when bus driver Romulo Catalan claimed to have lost control of his brakes, said Senior Inspector Rhoderick Bagunu, Dingalan police chief.

Vic Maneja, Caragsacan village chief, said witnesses saw the bus skid as it approached a curve near the local office of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, before it fell off the road.

“Fortunately, the bus did not overturn when it landed, otherwise it could have been be worse,” he said.

Many of the passengers suffered bruises and contusions, among them five-month-old Arnel Catubay Jr., South Korean Hwang Yun Suk, Roland Arjay Borreo, Jason Villanueva, Maydid de Belen, Francisco Colisao and Evangeline Gibaga.

Also hurt were: 10-year-old girls Pauleen Catubay and Jonalyn Salayog, 15-year-old Andrea Hilario, and 16-year-old boys Leonard Espiritu, Jason Ebuenga, Rico Ebuenga and Rommel Bayang.

The injury list also included Lorna Catubay, Ereneo Tan, Elaisa Abat, Madelyn Ebol, Salvacion Anda, Lorger dela Cruz, and Arman Obias.

The victims were first treated at the Dingalan Community Hospital but were transferred to a Cabanatuan hospital, police reported.

The driver faces charges of reckless imprudence resulting in multiple physical injuries and damage to property.

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