Eight of the ten fatalities in the deadly Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) crash were children and adults from Antipolo City, en route to a youth camp in Pangasinan, according to Tarlac PDRRMO chief Marvin Guiang.
The victims were aboard a Nissan Urvan that was crushed by a speeding bus. “There were nine people in the van — eight died, four of them were children,” Guiang shared during a radio interview. He added that the vehicle was flattened from an estimated 10 feet to just 3 feet due to the impact.
The bodies are currently at a funeral home in Tarlac, with costs covered by the provincial government.
The two other fatalities were a couple traveling with their two-year-old child to Baguio for a vacation. The toddler miraculously survived with minor injuries and has since been reunited with relatives in Bulacan. Rescuers were initially unaware of the child’s presence as he remained silent in a child seat until discovered during vehicle extrication.
Guiang also corrected the number of injured from 37 to 30, with 27 already discharged from hospitals.
Passengers from the bus involved in the accident claimed the driver had ignored warnings to slow down as they neared a toll plaza. Some said the driver had fallen asleep just before the crash. He is now in police custody after receiving medical care.
The Department of Transportation is set to meet with bus operators to address safety concerns following the incident