1967 Cavite bus crash
Details
DateJanuary 6, 1967 (1967-01-06)
LocationItalaro, Kayquit, Indang, Cavite
Coordinates14°09′18″N 120°54′11″E / 14.154995°N 120.903034°E / 14.154995; 120.903034
Country Philippines
LineBatangas–Ternate, Cavite
OperatorBatangas Laguna Tayabas Bus Company (BLTB Co.)
Incident typeCollision and fall
CauseHuman error or mechanical defect (faulty brakes)
Statistics
Bus2
Passengers130–300 (from both buses)[lower-alpha 1]
Deaths81–115[lower-alpha 2]
Injured15–60[lower-alpha 2]
Damage2 (both buses)

On January 6, 1967, two Catholic pilgrimage buses plunged off a cliff near a reinforced timber bridge in the rural town of Indang, Cavite, Philippines, after colliding with each other on a mountainous road near the bridge. The accident killed more than 80 people,[lower-alpha 2] many of whom were women and children, and injured the remaining passengers, making it one of the worst road accidents and disasters in the world and the worst in Philippine history.

Background

The Tuy–Indang segment (Balayan–Tuy and Naic–Indang Roads) of the Batangas–Cavite Interprovincial Road was constructed from the 1920s to the 1930s by the United States government to provide a direct link from the capital city of Manila to western Batangas.[1]

Meanwhile, a wooden bridge with steel reinforcements (the accident site) was built to connect then-barrio Italaro, now a sitio located in Barangay Kayquit III, Indang town,[2] to the adjacent Mendez town, both are separated by a river in the barrio's south.[3][lower-alpha 3]

Two years prior to the incident, more than 40 people had been killed on the same site.[4] In 1965, two softdrink trailer trucks fell into the ravine.[5] In 1966, an accident killed at least 9 people and injured 16 others.[6] According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the worst previous road disaster took place in India five years prior.[7]

In December 1966, about three weeks before the incident, a countrywide safety campaign against the so-called "rolling coffins" – a term used to refer to the buses – was launched by the government of the Philippines after a bus crashed into the gates of Malacañang Palace, the official residence of the president.[4] In the provinces, bus rides were often compared to a rollercoaster ride due to several drivers driving at expressway speeds.[7]

Accident

Events

The buses involved were owned by Batangas Laguna Tayabas Bus Company (BLTB Co.) and were part of a convoy, consisting of 57 buses[6] carrying devotees from the towns of Nasugbu, Tuy and Lian in Batangas to a church dedicated to the Santo Niño in the coastal town of Ternate, Cavite to celebrate the annual feast of Epiphany.[3][5]

At dawn of January 6, 1967, the convoy left from Batangas. Later in the morning, while traversing their route for Indang, the ninth bus (no. 522) lost its brakes while overtaking other vehicles; collided to the back of the eighth bus (no. 318) upon reaching a curve near Italaro bridge. Strong impact was enough for the buses to fall off a 91-meter deep (300 ft)[6] ravine.[3][5][8]

Response

It took long for rescue and retrieval efforts; joined there were the Philippine Air Force and United States Navy. While the latter sent out rescue teams from their base at Sangley Point in Cavite City to the crash site,[5] their helicopters from Manila arrived to the site only after six hours as operations were almost finished.[6][3]

The wounded, many of them critically, were brought to various hospitals in Cavite, while some were transferred to Manila due to lacking medicine supplies. As local governments requested, assistance from the Department of Health and other national government agencies, for the treatment to the victims, only came a day late, and the ambulances came at early afternoon.[3]

President Ferdinand Marcos deployed a team of doctors and social welfare workers to the hospitals where the survivors were taken. The Philippine Constabulary (PC) ordered the closure of the Batangas–Cavite Interprovincial Road to prevent looting of the wreckage.

Casualties

The Associated Press initially stated an estimate of more than 115 deaths and reported 15 survivors in the accident.[6] After the response operations, United Press International reported only at least 84; more than 60 other persons were injured, at least 30 of them critically.[4][5][7][9]

One outlet reported otherwise 83 deaths, 57 injuries, and three were unaccounted for.[10]

All immediate deaths were due to their bodies being hit by twisted steel reinforcements and branches of trees in the area. Unclaimed bodies were brought to Indang Health Center. Seventy-six of the dead passengers were identified, including a former Tuy municipal mayor. On those injured, 48, including two bus conductors, were reportedly brought to various medical facilities in Cavite and seven were transferred to Philippine General Hospital.[3]

Investigation

There are conflicting reports on the number of passengers. While some sources suggest that there were more than 130,[3][6] it was reported that nearly 300 people, mostly Catholic pilgrims, have been aboard the two buses,[4][7] with about 150 people on each.[5]

According to preliminary reports, mechanical defect and negligence were the primary cause of the accident.

Lolito de Castro of Batangas, survived driver of bus no. 318, was arrested at a clinic in the province wherein he was treated. Investigation led by Col. Rizalino Garcia, Cavite PC Commander, revealed that de Castro jumped out of the bus as he was unable to control it, and, as admitted by de Castro, later went into hiding in fear of retaliation from victims' relatives. Charges of "multiple homicide" and "multiple physical injuries through reckless imprudence" were filed against him.[3]

Reaction

On January 8, 1967, President Marcos, upon learning initial reports that the accident was due to either drivers' negligence or the buses' defective brakes, ordered the Public Service Commission to cancel the franchise of BLTB Co. if found liable, otherwise, to take other disciplinary actions against the company.[11]

On January 11, Pope Paul VI extended his condolences and gave his paternal blessing to the families and relatives of the victims through a cable released by Archbishop Carlo Martini, the apostolic nuncio to the Philippines, to the press.[10]

Aftermath

The replacement bridge in December 2018 (to the west is the accident site)

After the accident, it was said that apparently, the government and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) had intentionally abandoned the section of the road leading to the accident site to realign it elsewhere, allowing vegetation to reclaim it.[2] The road was slightly realigned to the east and a new bridge was built with it.[2]

Notes

  1. ↑ Figures vary. See § Investigation.
  2. 1 2 3 Officially, the death toll ranges from 81 to 84; count for the injured also ranges from 57 to 60. Others are estimates. See § Casualties.
  3. ↑ Explanatory notes (from an undergraduate research paper):[3]
    • Drivers involved were Antonio Lontok (no. 522) and Lolito de Castro (no. 318). The source stated that de Castro survived the accident; but did not mentioned what happened to Lontok.
    • Paper says, 81 passengers from both buses died immediately and 58 were seriously injured.
    • Also, paper says, investigation revealed that 2 buses carried more than 140 passengers on board.

References

  1. ↑ Citations concerning the construction of the Batangas–Cavite Interprovincial Road:
    • Annual Report of the Governor General of the Philippine Islands. United States Congressional Serial Set. Vol. 9358. Washington, D.C., United States: United States Government Printing Office (published 1931). 1929. p. 204 – via Google Books. Batangas–Cavite interprovincial Road.—Connecting Tuy, Batangas Province, with Indang, Cavite Province, this project will establish a direct road from Manila to western Batangas, following the ridge on the west coast of Lake Taal.
    • Public Laws Enacted by the Philippine Legislature. Vol. 23. Manila, Philippines: Authority of the Philippine Legislature. 1928. pp. 399–400 – via Google Books.
  2. 1 2 3 Multiple citations:
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Agustine, January; Alvarez, Gracelyn; Martonito, John Rey; Protomartir, Nowelie (March 2005). Ang Malagim na Aksidente sa Italaro [The tragic accident in Italaro] (undergraduate research) (in Tagalog). Indang, Cavite, Philippines: Cavite State University. Retrieved May 28, 2022 – via Scribd.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "History's Worst Highway Disaster Claims 84 Lives". Lodi News-Sentinel. Lodi, California. January 6, 1967. p. 1. Retrieved November 25, 2021 – via Google Books.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Bus Disaster Takes 84 Lives In Philippines". The Desert Sun. Vol. 40. Palm Springs, California. January 6, 1967. pp. 1–2. Retrieved November 25, 2021 – via California Digital Newspaper Collection.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "More Than 115 Die When Buses Hurtle Into Manila Ravine". Ocala Star–Banner. Vol. 24. Ocala, Florida. January 6, 1967. p. 1. Retrieved November 25, 2021 – via Google Books.
  7. 1 2 3 4 "Each Head Shake Was a Signal of Tragedy". The Sun-Herald. Sydney, Australia. January 8, 1967. p. 15. Retrieved February 6, 2022 – via Google Books.
  8. ↑ Anciano, Daniel Mendoza (2018). Intermedia ng Indang (Cavite State University) 1904–1927: Ang Kasaysayan ng Paaralang Panlalawigan sa Katimugang Cavite (in Tagalog). Malabon, Philippines: Mutya Publishing House. p. 125. ISBN 978-971821-791-7. Ang sumunod na malagim na trahedya na nasaksihan sa Indang pagkatapos ng Pagsabog ng Tall [sic] noong 1911 ay ang Trahedya ng pagkahulog ng dalawang bus ng BLTB sa Tulay ng Italaro na naganap noong Enero 1967.
  9. ↑ "2-Bus Crash Kills 84 Filipinos". The Pittsburgh Press. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. January 6, 1967. p. 11. Retrieved June 1, 2022 – via Google Newspapers.
  10. 1 2 "Pope extends sympathy to bus victims' kin". The Catholic News Archive. Catholic News Service. January 11, 1967. Retrieved March 20, 2022.
  11. ↑ Official Gazette (Vol. 63 No. 5). Manila: Government of the Philippines. January 30, 1967. p. lxxii. Retrieved September 15, 2022.
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