Cotabato bus plunges in ravine, many hurt

KIDAPAWAN CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Oct. 5, 2010) – At least two dozen passengers were injured when a small provincial bus plunged Tuesday into a ravine in the southern Philippines, police said.

Police said the bus fell after its driver lost control of the wheel as the bus was struggling to climb an uphill road in North Cotabato’s President Manuel Roxas town.

Investigators said the bus was overloaded when it went straight down into the ravine. The driver, who was later arrested, said he also lost his brakes, according to police said.

It was not immediately known whether the bus driver has transportation papers to operate. Many of the provincial buses in the southern Philippines operate illegally and at often times had accidents under its records. (Mindanao Examiner)