Truck-bus collision leaves 3 dead 76 hurt

By Danny Estacio
ATIMONAN, Quezon- Three people died and 76 others were injured as a truck and a passenger bus smashed head-on Monday night at Barangay Santa Catalina, here.

The fatalities were identified as Benedict Borja Belencio, truck driver, his helper Michael Gerona, and a bus passenger, Pio Jacob del Monte.

Belencio and Gerona were pinned to death. The injured, all passengers of the bus, were brought to Dona Martha Hospital and Nuestra Senora Hospital in this town.

Police said the AMV Travel and Tour bus with body number 8025 and driven by Maximo Leoriego was headed for Bicol direction and was trying to pass another vehicle on the descending portion of the highway.

The bus collided head-on with the Belencio’s 10-wheeler truck which was coming from the opposite lane.