4 passengers killed; 23 others injured as bus falls into ravine in CSur

By Rhaydz Barcia

LEGAZPI CITY --- Four passengers were killed while 23 others were injured after a passenger bus they were riding fell into a 10-foot-deep ravine in Barangay Magais I, Del Gallego, Camarines Sur, in the wee hours of Friday, December 26, 2025.

Police Captain Bernie Undecimo, chief of police of the Del Gallego Municipal Police Station, said the incident occurred at around 2 a.m. while the bus was traveling along the Maharlika Highway and fell into a ravine in Barangay Magais, Del Gallego, Camarines Sur, killing four passengers and injuring 23 others.

According to Undecimo, there were 25 passengers on board, including two drivers, bringing the total number of occupants to 27.

Police investigators said the bus came from Cubao, Quezon City, and was bound for Gubat, Sorsogon. Prior to the incident, the bus reportedly made a stopover in Camarines Norte, where the drivers swapped.

The DLTB bus, bearing plate number UA479 and body number 6H, was being driven by a certain “Jay,” 48, a bus driver and resident of 346 LiteAce St., Sun Valley, Parañaque City, who sustained serious injuries.

Meanwhile, Cris, 50, the alternate driver and a resident of Pila, Laguna, was also injured and complained of back pain.

“We have taken all injured passengers to the hospital, but the two cadavers are still under the bus. The two drivers also sustained injuries,” Undecimo said.

Police reports said two of the fatalities required extrication. Several injured passengers suffered head trauma and abrasions on different parts of their bodies, while one was reported unconscious.

“Investigation revealed that while the passenger bus was traveling southbound from Cubao, Quezon City, going to Gubat, Sorsogon, the driver allegedly fell asleep, lost control of the vehicle, and veered off the road, falling into a cliff approximately 10 meters deep on the right side of Rolando Andaya Highway,” said Police Lt. Col. Maria Luisa Calubaquid, spokesperson of the Police Regional Office–Bicol.

“As a result, the vehicle sustained an undetermined amount of damage, and the injured passengers were immediately transported by responding MDRRMO personnel to Maria L. Eleazar General Hospital in Tagkawayan, Quezon, for immediate medical attention,” she added.

Police Col. Virgilio O. Olalia Jr., provincial director of the Camarines Sur Police Provincial Office (CSPPO), personally inspected the crash site in Del Gallego, Camarines Sur.

Olalia underscored the importance of accurate scene assessment and timely reporting, reiterating the CSPPO’s commitment to road safety, accountability, and the swift resolution of traffic-related incidents.

“A prompt and thorough investigation is essential to determine the facts of the incident. We also remind all travellers to always practice safe and responsible driving to help prevent accidents and save lives,” Olalia said.

Composite forces from the PNP, BFP, and MDRRMO conduct rescue and extrication operations to retrieve the bodies trapped inside a passenger bus that fell into a 10-foot-deep ravine in Del Gallego, Camarines Sur, on Friday, December 26, 2025. (Rhaydz Barcia | Photos courtesy of the PNP Bicol Regional Information Office)