Manila — Authorities said a bus struck multiple cars at a toll gate on one of the busiest routes in the northern Philippines, killing ten people and injuring over thirty. Four children were among the victims, according to the jailed bus driver, who told AFP that he had fallen asleep at the wheel. Workers are often transported between Manila and the other provinces by buses on the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Motorway, which is approximately 100 km (62 mi) long. Families were travelling for Labour Day when the catastrophe occurred on Thursday.
Solid North Bus, a significant bus operator in the area and the owner of the vehicle involved in the collision, was suspended by the Department of Transportation. According to authorities, the bus driver can face charges of “reckless imprudence resulting in multiple homicides,” as reported by AFP. The bus driver has also been taken into custody. According to a Facebook post by the Philippine Red Cross, three sports utility vehicles and one container truck were also involved in the collision.
In a separate tweet on Wednesday, the group stated that it was giving meals and other assistance to hospitalised crash victims. In the Philippines, deadly bus accidents are not unusual. Although it’s unknown if drug usage by bus drivers contributed to Thursday’s catastrophe, it has made headlines in recent weeks.
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