58 hurt in Black Saturday mishap

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ILOILO CITY — A Black Saturday outing turned tragic after an overloaded jeepney carrying 70 passengers flipped on its side in Barangay Dingle, Miagao in Iloilo, injuring 58 people, including several minors.

The private jeepney, which came from Barangay Ba-ong in Alimodian, was en route to Tobog Beach Resort in San Joaquin for a family outing when the accident happened on the morning of April 19.

Police said the vehicle lost control while negotiating a downhill curved section of the national highway.

Initial reports listed only 57 passengers, but Miagao police updated the count to 70 late Saturday night as families confirmed the transfer of some injured passengers to other hospitals.

According to Maj. Richard Lao, chief of the Miagao Municipal Police Station, overloading played a major role in the incident.

The jeepney was packed beyond capacity, with some passengers seated on the roof.

Contrary to the driver's earlier claim of a tire problem, police found no mechanical issues on the vehicle.

Of the 70 passengers, 58 were injured, including the driver, while 12 were assessed and found to have no injuries.

At least eight passengers remain confined at the Western Visayas Medical Center in Iloilo City. Others were treated at various facilities, including the Guimbal District Hospital, San Joaquin Mother and Child Hospital, Aleosan District Hospital in Alimodian, and the Miagao Rural Health Unit.

As of this writing, no formal complaints have been filed against the jeepney driver, and the reglementary detention period has since lapsed.

Show cause orders slapped

Despite the absence of complaints, the Land Transportation Office Region 6 (LTO-6) has issued a show cause order on the driver.

LTO-6 director Atty. Gaudioso Geduspan II said the driver involved in the crash is being ordered to submit written explanations within a specified period. Failure to comply could lead to the suspension or revocation of licenses and other legal consequences.

The LTO-6 confirmed that the jeepney driver tested negative for alcohol consumption based on the results of the alcohol breathalyzer test administered after the incident.

A separate show cause order was also issued in connection with the Good Friday accident in Barangay Alangilan, Bacolod City.

On April 18, a Toyota Innova driven by an Indian rammed into multiple vehicles — including a tricycle, a police patrol car, and a multicab — and struck pedestrians along a roadside where a religious procession was underway.

The crash resulted in the deaths of three people and injuries to 17 others, including pedestrians, passengers, and two police officers.

The LTO said the driver tested positive for alcohol, and the revocation of his license is being considered.