Driver of school bus that plunged into Bataan ravine released pending charges

MANILA - The driver of a school bus that fell into a ravine in Orani, Bataan over the weekend, killing one Quezon City teacher and injuring dozens of others, has been released by authorities pending the filing of formal charges, an education official said Monday.

Wilfredo Cabral, regional director of Department of Education-National Capital Region, said in a press conference that the bus driver was sent home after giving his statement to police investigators, as there were no charges filed against him so far.

Maj. Larry Valencia, chief of the Orani police, told ABS-CBN's TeleRadyo that the husband of teacher Janice Pontillas who died in the accident has talked to the bus driver via video call and said he will decide on whether they will file charges once he arrives home.

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Allan Pontillas, the husband of teacher Janice, is an overseas Filipino worker in Taiwan.

"Kung sakali na magsampa ng kaso si Mr. Allan, i-a-assist pa rin naman namin as regular filing dun sa kaso ni Sir Marcelino (bus driver)," said Valencia.

The 62-year-old bus driver is an employee of DepEd and has a valid driver's license, the police official said. He supposedly claimed a mechanical failure caused him to lose control of the vehicle that led to the accident on Saturday morning.

The remains of Pontillas have been brought to her home in Quezon City, while the injured victims have also returned to their respective places of residence, Cabral said.

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Concerned DepEd officials in Quezon City and Bataan assisted the teachers, along with the local government units, he said.

"Sa ngayon, iyong 26 na nasugatan ay nakauwi na at ang ating teacher na sa kasamaang palad na nasawi ay naihatid na rin sa kanilang tahanan para sa burol. At nakapagpadala na rin po ang lahat ng ating mga kasamahan sa DepEd-NCR ng kanilang pakikipagdalamhati at suporta," Cabral said.

"Mayroon tayong non-teaching personnel na dumaan pa sa further evaluation at isa pang teacher dahil, ayon sa doktor, ay nakaranas pa ng pagkahilo. At sila muna ay nilagay sa QC Hospital for evaluation. But apparently, na-release na rin although may advice pa for further observation para sa kanilang kalagayan," he added.

"Ang atin pong LGU, sa pangunguna ng ating mayor, ay nag-commit po na all expenses ng ating mga nasugatan pati yung nasawi ay tutustusan ng ating lokal na pamahalaan."

DepEd spokesperson Michael Poa said the teachers who were injured are already "fit to work", but they can file for absence by using their available service credits.

"Pwede silang mag-apply ng leave if they need to. But of course hindi po natin sinasabi na, "O sige pwede na po kayong magpahinga". Dahil the evaluation, we would say otherwise that they are already fit to work," Poa said.

"Nonetheless, because that is an entitlement or a privilege that is given to our teachers and employees, that they can file absence and use of their available vacation service credits in the use of their absences, hindi naman po bawal iyon," he added.

Poa also clarified that out-of-town trainings and seminars for teachers are allowed under existing DepEd orders, specifically DepEd Order No. 32 s. 2011 on capacity building activities for teachers, and DepEd Order No. 66 s. 2017 on field trip of students, where teachers are included.

"Allowed po ang out-of-town trainings, out-of-town seminars. This is not unique to the DepEd. This is allowed also in other government agencies. Pagdating naman po doon sa field trip na DepEd order, doon po nakasaad na kung gagamit ng bus, may certain parameters. Dapat naka-convoy, which nakita naman natin, nasunod din po dito kahit hindi ito field trip, but a matter of training," Poa said.

"Natatanong kasi parati how do you choose the location where you train. Siyempre po, tayo po, we always look for a place that's conducive for the holding of the workshop... Plus, pag ganitong overnight, ideally the place should be able to accommodate na rin po iyong lodging ng ating mga participants," he added.

The official said he has not received information regarding any directive to revisit the said orders.

"Sa ngayon... wala pa po akong guidance regarding that. But we’ll let you know once there is any decision made if there is a need to revisit our policy," Poa said.

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