A 5-year-old girl died after she was run over by a bus owned by the Southern Star Bus Transit, Inc., (SBTI) a known accident-prone transport company, along a national highway in Bilar town on Thursday afternoon.

Bilar police chief Captain Margarito Cagoco said the girl died on the spot after sustaining severe injuries.

According to Cagoco, the victim had just alighted a bus with her aunt and upon seeing her uncle at the other side of the road, ran towards him.

“Nikanog sila pero naawahi og kanaog ang iyang auntie kay puno man ang maong bus. Unya ang bata nauna og kanaog. Pagkakita na naa iyang uyoan sa atbang, ning dagan ang maong bata,” said Cagoco.

Meanwhile, the SBTI bus which was traversing the same lane as the parked bus tried to overtake causing it to ram the girl who was crossing the road.

“Nagsunod ning Ceres, unya silbing ni overtake ni kay ni hunong man ang gisakyan sa bata,” Cagoco added.

The girl’s remains were taken to the town’s Rural Health Unit and later transferred to a funeral home.

The bus’s driver, Llander Barnido, 49, of Sierra Bullones, and the said vehicle have been placed under the custody of the Bilar Police Station pending the filing of charges against him.

Cagoco noted that the bus had complete documents while the driver also had a valid driver’s license.

According to Cagoco, the SBTI management has reached out to the victim’s family and have offered to extend financial assistance.

“So far, nagkastorya na tong uyoan ug personnel sa Southern Star mura’g mag sabot-sabot sila og compromise agreement og magkasabot,” he added.

If the victim’s family decides to push through with the criminal complaint, Barnido will be charged with reckless imprudence resulting to homicide.

SBTI buses have long been tagged as accident-prone after notably being involved in dozens of road incidents which have led to deaths, injuries and property damage in the past decade. (A. Doydora)