A quiet Sunday morning at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) turned into a scene of chaos and tragedy after a black SUV barrelled into a curbside crowd, killing a child and a young man and injuring four others — the latest in the Philippines’ deepening road safety crisis.

The crash occurred around 8 a.m. at NAIA Terminal 1’s west departure area when Leo Sinlao Gonzales, 47, a hardware delivery driver from Batangas, reportedly panicked after being cut off by a sedan and mistakenly stepped on the gas instead of the brake.

Gonzales lost control of the Ford Everest, which surged forward, smashed through a metal barrier and struck six people — including two children.

Photos and videos circulated online showed bodies sprawled across the pavement, shattered glass strewn near the entrance, and the SUV’s mangled front end embedded in the airport doors.

A CCTV footage did not show the sedan blamed by Gonzales for his reaction.

Declared dead were a five-year-old girl and 28-year-old Dearick Keo Faustino. Despite paramedics’ efforts, both were pronounced dead at the scene.

Four others — Cynthia Masunson, 34; her daughter Sophia, 4; Edith Soriano, 55; and Jovita Escarlos — were rushed to San Juan De Dios Hospital. Escarlos declined admission for minor injuries.

Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon, who rushed to the scene, described the crash as “unintentional” based on initial CCTV footage but said the investigation was ongoing.

“I don’t want to share further details yet. It doesn’t appear to be intentional — we just need to know exactly what happened,” he said in Filipino.

Suspended license

The Land Transportation Office (LTO) suspended Gonzales’ license for 90 days and issued a show-cause order to him and the vehicle’s registered owner.

“This is very tragic. One of the victims was the child of a fellow OFW. We are taking this very seriously,” LTO Assistant Secretary Vigor Mendoza said.

NAIA Infra Corp. president Ramon S. Ang pledged to cover all hospital bills and provide financial assistance to the victims’ families.

“Our priority is making sure the victims and their families receive the support and care they need,” Ang said.

Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa confirmed the Department of Health had mobilized trauma teams under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive and ensured that victims could be treated at government hospitals.

“Let’s all be more careful on the roads,” Herbosa urged.

The NAIA crash is the latest in a series of fatal road incidents that underscore the Philippines’ growing road safety problem.

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, 12,241 people died in road crashes in 2022 — or 11 deaths per 100,000 people. Over the past decade, road accidents have risen by an average of 25.6 percent annually.

The World Health Organization has reported that road injuries are now the leading cause of death for Filipinos aged 5 to 29 — most of them young men, many killed in nighttime motorcycle crashes.

Experts cite a combination of reckless driving, poorly maintained roads, weak enforcement, and lax driver training as persistent factors.

Just days before the NAIA crash, 12 people — including six children — died along the Subic–Clark–Tarlac Expressway after a Solid North Transit bus driver reportedly fell asleep. The incident prompted Dizon to ground the company’s 270-bus fleet.

In Makati, a mother of six was recently killed after a security guard with no formal vehicle training attempted to park an SUV and accidentally accelerated.

CCTV footage showed her being struck, thrown onto the hood, and killed instantly.

Tighter qualifications

Advocates are calling for stricter enforcement of Republic Act 10930, which grants 10-year driver’s licenses but requires periodic testing and tighter qualifications.

The LTO has revoked licenses for major violations and mandated driving school accreditation, but critics say implementation is slow and inconsistent. In the past, corrupt LTO personnel had been accusing of issuing licenses to drivers without the proper qualifications in exchange for bribe money.

Gonzales remains in police custody and faces possible charges, including reckless imprudence resulting in multiple homicides and injuries, pending the outcome of the investigation.

He is scheduled to undergo a mandatory drug test as part of a broader probe by the Department of Transportation, the Manila International Airport Authority, and law enforcement.

Officials have appealed to the public to refrain from sharing graphic images of the crash out of respect for the victims’ families — a call that has done little to quell public outrage online.

Senator Grace Poe, vice chair of the Senate public services committee, renewed her call for a Philippine Transportation Safety Board — an independent body to investigate transport incidents by land, sea, air and rail.

“Proactive reforms, not just punishment after the fact, are what save lives,” she said.