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Tragedy in Ecija: DPWH chief sorry after road barrier fails to stop bus crash

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<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2017/news/04/19/041917_bus6.jpg"/><figcaption><div class="embed-desc">Residents help in rescue operation following a bus crash that killed at least 31 people in Carranglan, Nueva Ecija. <cite>ABS-CBN News</cite></div></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA - The country&#x27;s infrastructure chief apologized Wednesday amid reports that a road barrier failed to stop a passenger bus from plunging down a cliff in Carranglan, Nueva Ecija.</p><p>At least 30 people were killed when a Leomarick Bus fell down a 100-foot ravine in Carranglan&#x27;s Capitalan village on Tuesday.</p><p>Capitalan barangay captain Laberto Villa said there should have been stronger road barriers and more prominent safety signs at the crash site.</p><p>Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar said the cement railing in Carranglan follows international standards and is supposedly the strongest type of barrier.</p><p>The barrier, he said, may have collapsed because it was rammed head-on by the bus, which was <a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/19/17/31-patay-sa-pagbulusok-ng-bus-sa-bangin-sa-n-ecija"><strong>possibly overloaded</strong></a>.</p><p>&quot;Ang alam ko itong railing ang pinakamatibay na railing... Nalulungkot din ako and I&#x27;m sorry. I apologize. Nakakalungkot talaga iyung pangyayari kahapon,&quot; Villar said in a phone interview with radio DZMM.</p><p>Dubbing the accident a &quot;wake-up call,&quot; Villar said he has ordered a review of the country&#x27;s railing standards and whether road barriers should be reinforced.</p><p>He said he is also looking into reports that the Carranglan railing was already damaged even before Tuesday&#x27;s crash.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><div id="IVS_ABS_Body_Video_1_Container"> <ivs-player id="IVS_ABS_Body_Video_1" data-ivs-spid="3001339" data-ivs-key="e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603" data-ivs-vid="1454924" data-ivs-floating="1"></ivs-player> <script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/iframe-parent.js"></script> <script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/loader.js"></script> </div></figure><p>Reports said another bus reportedly hit the railing last July 12 in an accident that left 5 people dead and at least 20 others wounded.</p><p>Villar promised to draw a policy for the automatic repair of damaged road signs and railings.</p><p>He has also tasked infrastructure regional directors to identify accident-prone areas in road networks.</p><p>&quot;Gagawin namin ang lahat para siguraduhin hindi na mauulit ang ganoong klaseng pangyayari,&quot; he vowed. (We will do everything to ensure that th is incident will not be repeated.)</p><p>Tuesday&#x27;s accident has killed at least 31 people and injured 46 others, the Nueva Ecija police said.</p><p>The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) is set to inspect the crash site on Wednesday morning.</p>

<p>MANILA - The country's infrastructure chief apologized Wednesday amid reports that a road barrier failed to stop a passenger bus from plunging down a cliff in Carranglan, Nueva Ecija.</p>

MANILA - The country's infrastructure chief apologized Wednesday amid reports that a road barrier failed to stop a passenger bus from plunging down a cliff in Carranglan, Nueva Ecija.