Chief Superintendent Leonardo Espina, director of the Highway Patrol Group (HPG), said at least seven passengers of the Lucena bus line (CVU-287) were also hurt during the accident and were taken to two hospitals in the cities of Paranaque and Taguig.

He identified the fatalities as driver Jovito Michael Ruado, of Baesa, Quezon City and bus conductor Richard Negrana, of Burgos, Pangasinan.

Espina said they died on arrival at the Paranaque Doctors Hospital due to the serious injuries they sustained when they were pinned inside the wrecked portion of the bus.

The official said that the passenger bus was heading to Manila from Lucena City when it rammed the post.

Ed Nepomuceno, head of the special projects and operations of the Skyway, said the incident happened at 7:45 a.m. on the Manila Skyway in Barangay Bicutan.

Nepomuceno gathered that the Lucena bus was traveling north when it suddenly swerved out of its lane to the left and then hit one of the middle columns of the Skyway.

Recovery from the apparent driving error was already too late for Ruado as the bus slammed into the concrete post at full force.

The impact proved fatal for the driver and the conductor since both of them were seated in front.

The incident, which the police said a self-accident, caused a traffic jam in the area but the traffic flow eased as soon as the bus was removed from the area.

Investigation is being conducted to determine the cause of the accident although probers are confirming reports that the bus driver allegedly appeared to be tired and sleepy prior to the incident.

Meanwhile, another 16 people were injured in a separate accident involving six vehicles on the south bound lane of Nichols Skyway in Parañaque City on Wednesday afternoon.

The skyway Traffic Monitoring Center reported that the accident involving two buses and four other vehicles happened at 4:30 p.m. at the Nichols Exit in Parañaque City.

Initial findings by traffic probers blamed the two speeding buses that collided for the smashup.

3 Bacolod cops convicted of murder

In another development, three Bacolod City-based policemen were sentenced by a Manila Regional Trial Court to three reclusion perpetua (maximum 40 years in jail) after they were found guilty of three counts of murder in connection with the killing of a barangay chairman and two others in Bacolod City in 2003.

Apart from the reclusion perpetua, Manila RTC Judge Teresa Soriaso of Branch 27 also sentenced Inspector Clarence Dongail, Senior Police Officer 4 Jimmy Fortaleza and SPO2 Freddie Natividad to a maximum of four years and four months jail term for the arbitrary detention of the two victims and a maximum six years for the same offense committed against the third victim.

Soriaso also ordered the convicted felons to jointly indemnify the heirs of victims Barangay Chairman Eleuterio Salabas and his two companions, Ricardo Suganob and Maximo Lomoljo Jr., the sum P150,000 (P50,000 each for the victims) for the death, P150,000 (P50,000 each) as moral damages and P90,000 (P30,000 each) as exemplary damages.

They were also ordered to pay P4,480,080 for the loss of earning capacity of Salabas; P2,780,512.92 for the loss of earning capacity of Suganob; P400,000 for the loss of earning capacity of Lumoljo; and P3,599,031.82 for actual damages for Salabas; and P1,523,010.70 for actual damages for Suganob.

The cases against the other accused – retired Supt. Vicente Ponteras, Supt. George Bajelot Jr., Inspector Jonathan Laurella/Lorilla, Inspector Bonifer Gotas, SPO1 Nelson Grijaldo, PO2 Allen Winston Hulleza, PO1 Bernardo Cimatu, Ramonito Estanislao, Manolo Escalante, Ronnie Herrera, Flores Carlo de los Santos,Mamerto Canete, Elma Canete, Elson Canete, Jude Montilla, Richard Salazar, Dennis Belandres/Delandres, and Ruel Villacanas – were ordered sent to the file of archived cases and be revived when they are arrested. Arrest warrants were issued for their arrest.

Another accused, Lorraine Abay, was acquitted as the court said there is no evidence to show she participated directly or indirectly to the crime nor to the commission of the arbitrary detention.

“There was neither any evidence showing that she conspired with the accused in the commission of the crime charged. On this basis, it but rightful that she be acquitted,” further stated the court.

Aaron Recuenco & Jean Fernando, Manila Bulletin