Cebu Bus Accident Claims 21st Victim

BALAMBAN, Cebu –The death toll in the bus accident in Barangay Cansomoroy, this town, last Sunday, was officially confirmed at 21, after the body of the driver, Jaime Batuon, who also owns the bus company, was pulled out of the accident site by rescuers past 10 p.m. Sunday evening. Most of the bus accident fatalities are Iranian medical students.

Student David Hajari, a representative of the close-knit Iranian community of students and businessmen in Cebu, said they are all in shock after learning of the tragic incident. He said everyone in the small Iranian community are friends and they all know each other well and news of the deaths of the Iranian students who were on board the bus that fell off the 30-foot ravine in Barangay Cansomoroy stunned all of them.

“It is very painful and shocking and up to now most of our friends could not believe that this has happened,” said Hajari, who luckily was not able to join the group tour because he had to study for a scheduled exam.

The sightseeing tour was organized by another Iranian, who managed to gather the Iranian medical students and two resident doctors of a local hospital for a tour which would have brought them to one of the resorts in Balamban town.

Senior Superintendent Erson Digal, director of the Cebu Provincial Police Office, said mechanical trouble might have been the cause of the accident, citing initial investigation by the local police.

“It appears that it was mechanical trouble, probably the brakes did not work because there was no marking on the road that would indicate that brakes were applied before the bus fell off the ravine,” said Digal in a phone interview.

Eighteen of the fatalities were identified as Shamary Sharahm, 31; Ataa Bargchi, 15; a certain Mr. Barghchi; a certain Mrs. Barghchi; Fojhan Zakeri, female student of Gullas Medical School; Dr. Ali Kamrani, Cebu Doctors University Nuclear Medicine resident doctor; Pedram Farjami, male student of Gullas Medical School; Hamid Reza Hozoori, male student of Gullas Medical School; Dr. Morteza Ghasemi, pathology resident doctor with the Cebu Doctors University (CDU); Raminkhoo Alireza, of Baia Course Language Institute; Ata Barghchi, 16; one-year old Pasha Masoomabadi; 18-month old Jahani Mooeed; a certain Farshed who is assigned to the Radiology Department of CDU; Vatane Mortaze; Davood Khatibi, 23; Shafagh Homayooni, 29; and, the driver and owner of the JD Tourist Bus identified as Jaime Batuon.

Source: MB