Boy killed as towed bus breaks loose

Even when they’re not running, buses can be dangerous. A six-year-old boy was killed and a tricycle driver was injured Monday in Quezon City when a bus that was being towed by another bus broke loose and rammed into a parked tricycle.

Quezon City Police District (QCPD) Traffic Enforcement Unit head Supt. Ely Pintang identified the fatality as Homer Bugarin, a pupil from Barangay (village) Manresa, where the accident happened. Bugarin was then a passenger of a tricycle driven by Genesis Pitlawan, 23, Pintang said.

The stalled Mega City bus was then being towed by another bus on Biak-na-Bato Street when the connection suddenly broke off. The driver of the Mega City bus, Alvin Morales, was still behind the wheel and was forced to swerve to avoid hitting people on sidewalk. He ended up crashing the bus into Pitlawan’s tricycle.

Bugarin died on the spot while Pitlawan was taken to East Avenue Medical Center for treatment. Morales fled in fear of the residents but later surrendered to the QCPD La Loma station.

Pintang said Morales would be charged with reckless imprudence resulting in homicide, physical injury and damage to property.

The incident may be yet another symptom of our horribly poor public transport system and the dangers it poses to the public.

–With report by Jaymee T. Gamil