By URIEL C. QUILINGUING
Contributing Editor,
THE Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board ordered the 30-day preventive suspension of Super Five Transport Services Inc., two days after one of its buses fell into a ravine in Barangay Puerto in this city that killed its driver and injured about a dozen of more than 30 passengers.
LTFRB director for northern Mindanao Aminoden Guro said the 30-day maximum suspension order was issued automatically Wednesday to Super 5, prior to the hearing, pursuant to paragraph 46 of LTFRB Memorandum Circular No. 2011-004 that was issued to spell out the terms and conditions of the certificates of public convenience.
The suspension order was addressed to the Iligan City-based bus company’s chief executive officer Paul Padayhag, received by the Super 5 office at the Integrated Bus Terminal, Agora, Barangay Lapasan, this city.
As portion of paragraph 46 of LTFRB MC No. 2011-004 explains why the preventive suspension was necessary for public utility vehicle operator: “…whenever it is necessary to avoid further injuries or damages which may result in the continued operation of the business.”
Non-compliance of PUV operator to comply with the preventive suspension order could be a ground for the LTFRB-10 to suspend all the certificates of public convenience granted to the PUV operator.
Guro said all the 10 units of bus, including the ill-fated vehicle with bus number S220 and plate number AGA 9268, that have been plying the Cagayan de Oro-Wao via Valencia and Malaybalay route prior to the road accident must be brought to the LTFRB-10 for thorough inspection and while the case is being heard.
As stipulated in the same circular, drivers and conductors are mandated to undergo road safety seminar, at the expense of the PUV operator.
“This is the first time a bus of Super 5, for the Cagayan de Oro-Wao-Banisilan route, had an accident,” said Guro, assuring the bus company may still operate on eight other routes the region.
Other than the Cagayan de Oro-Wao route, Super 5 other routes are the Cagayan de Oro-Dipolog (via Ozamiz-Mukas-Iligan), Cagayan de Oro-Pagadian (via Iligan-Kapatagan), Cagayan de Oro-Iligan (via Laguindingan), and Ozamiz-Pagadian (via Molave).
Guro said the driver, who died on the spot when he was thrown and hit a three when the wayward bus skidded into a ravine, and passengers who were brought to nearby hospitals for treatment of injuries, were covered by personal insurance.
The driver was 47-year-old Rito Reyes of barangay Bagongtaas, Valencia City.
“Those injured will be entitled to a maximum of P100,000 medical reimbursement and P400,000 for those killed that will be released to the legitimate beneficiary—all these are a no-fault insurance,” he said.
No-fault insurance, which all of them are expected to benefit from, refers to the insurance coverage of the bus that be used to pay all medical bills and lost earnings, or through reimbursement, regardless of who was at fault for the crash.
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