Department of Transportation (DoTr) Secretary Vince Dizon on Friday accompanied the mother of a Philippine Coast Guard member who died along with her husband in a fatal road crash in Tarlac on 1 May, in filing a civil suit and seeking P50 million in damages against the Solid North Bus Company before the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office.

Also present was lawyer Atty. Rio Espiritu, whom Dizon commissioned to handle the bus company’s civil liability. The transport secretary said the move was pursuant to an order from President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. aimed at imposing and ensuring road safety.

"Tumulong lang ang DoTr sa pagprovide ng abogado at ngayon ay magfile ng kaso para sa pamilya ni Dain (PCG Seawoman Second Class Dain Janica Alinas) and her husband (who died in the multi-vehicle collision that killed 10 at an SCTEX toll gate on Labor Day). Personal, masakit din para sa akin, paakyat ang pamilya sa Baguio for a vacation. Inararo ng bus," Dizon told DAILY TRIBUNE, referring to the crash that killed the victims who were in a compact SUV and among the 10 casualties in the SCTEX crash along Tarlac.

Their two-year-old child survived.

"This is to warn bus companies, with your franchise para kumita, responsibilidad mo ang kanilang (passengers) buhay at maging yun mga nasa kalye," Dizon said.

Espiritu said they named as respondents in the case Teodoro Silvallana Merjan, Gerald Chua, and Pangasinan Solid North Transit Inc., with a prayer to the court to order them to pay P821,700 as actual damages representing funeral and burial expenses of the deceased victims; also to pay the victims P2 million as indemnity and P43,176,756 as actual damages representing "the loss of earning capacity of the deceased victims."

"Road crashes are preventable. Pwede yan maiwasan. Gusto ng Pangulo na walang makakaiwas sa exact accountability. Tuloy ang reporma parasa road safety, not enough ang suspension. They (Solid North) have buses na di pumasa sa road worthiness. Swift action ang bilin ng Pangulo noong Monday," Dizon emphasized.

A separate case asking for over P80 million in damages against Solid North Bus is also being filed in Antipolo, where Espiritu will represent families of Seventh-day Adventist members who died in the crash.

According to the Tarlac Provincial Police Office, the crash was caused by the bus, which failed to stop at the second lane of SCTEX’s exit toll plaza and rammed into four other vehicles, causing a chain collision.

Police said the driver allegedly fell asleep while driving. The bus came from Cubao and was on its way to Pangasinan when the accident occurred.