The Best Link College of the Philippines blamed yesterday the Panda Bus Coach and Tour for the tragic bus accident that killed 15 persons Monday.
“Panda (Coach) should be accountable for this,” said Lourdes Pagayatan, Best Link’s legal counsel.
Pagayan said they did not get the services of Panda, adding that the school tapped Haranah Tours to transport more than 500 information technology students.
It turned out that Haranah sub-contracted one bus from Panda Coach to accommodate more than 500 information students to Tanay.
Eight buses of Haranah arrived safely in the camp site.
“There is a breach of contract here with Haranah,” Pagayan said.
Best Link also denied allegations that it did not promptly respond to the accident.
On Tuesday, Best Link executive vice-president Charlie Cariño said they did everything they could to address the needs of their students.
“I was there in the incident. Our deans are in the hospitals. Best Link officials are there. Our VP for administration was in Morong. I was in Tanay. There is no truth to (the claims) that none of us responded,” he said.
Cariño criticized the media for “not being fair to them” and for reporting “baseless” accusations.
“They were talking to everyone but not the focal persons,” he lamented.
The school official added that they have been coordinating with the Majar Funeral Homes “at exactly 1 p.m.” last Monday.
The school management earlier announced that they will shoulder all the funeral and hospital expenses of the victims.
Cash assistance will also be provided to them.
“All expenses related to the incident as of now will be shouldered by the school. All of it…(We) paid for the funeral (parlors for the bodies’ transfer) from Tanay to Novaliches. We also delivered the victims their respective homes,” he said.
The camping has been an annual activity by Best Link as part of the students’ curriculum in the National Training Service Program (NTSP).
“That is not a field trip. This is a camping and leadership training and it is an NSTP-related activity,” Cariño argued.
He, however, said the activity is not mandatory as claimed by some students.
“I do not know who told you that. But that is not compulsory or mandatory. It is only optional. If it was mandatory, all students should have joined. But it’s not,” he said.
Out of 600 IT students of Best Link, only about 500 students joined the trip, Cariño said.
The school official also clarified that they sent out parent’s consent form to students, and not waivers.
“(We issued) only parent’s consent to those who joined the trip. We asked for their parents’ (permission) allowing the child to join,” he said.
A copy of the supposed permit showed to media read: “I…hereby consent my son/daughter to participate in the NTSP training at Sacramento Adventure Camp in Tanay, Rizal, from February 20, 2017 to February 22.”
It further noted, “I am fully aware my son/daughter will exert utmost care with himself and the school is not liable to any untoward incident that may arise in the conduct of the school activity.”
But Cariño said the school management understands that under the law, they are responsible to any school functions.
In the aftermath of the accident, the Commission on Higher Education on Tuesday issued a moratorium on all educational field trips.
Meanwhile, the relatives of the passengers who died in the bus crash will each be receiving P200,000 from the bus company.
The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) said that Panda Coach Tourist and Transport, Inc. has committed to compensate the relatives survived by the fatalities. (VANNE TERRAZOLA)