LTFRB: Driver in SCTEX mishap under maintenance meds, he was drowsy

Solid North passenger bus slams into multiple vehicles at the northbound exit of the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway in Tarlac on Thursday afternoon (May 1, 2025). (Photo from PHILIPPINE RED CROSS)

MANILA, Philippines — The driver involved in the fatal accident in Subic–Clark–Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) was under maintenance medications that may have caused him to fall asleep.

This information came from the Land Transportation, Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) on Wednesday.

The report was released after a hearing was conducted by the LTFRB on the accident.

“Based on the initial findings, he took his lunch. After lunch, uminom siya ng losartan, at saka isa pang gamot and the effect of this medicine is – it will dilute the blood and then, eventually, aantukin ka,” LTFRB chair Teofilo Guadiz III told reporters in a chance interview

(After lunch, he took losartan and another medicine, and the effect of these medicines is that they make the blood thin, and then, eventually, you will be drowsy.)

“So based on these initial findings, obviously, inantok nga yung driver (he obviously became drowsy),” he said.

With these findings, Guadiz said the main concern now is whether or not the Solid North Transit management was aware of the driver’s medical condition as part of its health protocol.

READ: License of bus driver in SCTEx crash perpetually revoked — LTO

“These are the things that we would like to ascertain. But initially, our findings really is there is negligence on the part of the driver,” said Guadiz.

“What we would like to establish is the knowledge of the management on the condition of the driver,” he noted.

Driver took maintenance drug a day before

Atty. Alex Verzosa represented Pangasinan Solid North Transit Inc. and its bus driver during the hearing.

He told reporters in a separate chance interview that the driver last took his medicine a day before the accident.

READ: Gov’t urged to review road safety measures following SCTEx crash

“Actually, [it wasn’t] on that day. Nag-alala sya na mag-drug test kasi may iniinom na gamot… Sabi nya, losartan at amlodipine,” Verzosa said.

(Actually, it wasn’t on that day. He was worried that there would be a drug test because he was on medication… He said losartan and amlodipine.)

“Pero sa araw daw na ‘yun, actually, hindi daw sya nakainom ng gamot na ‘yon,” he said.

(But on that particular day, he said he hadn’t actually taken those drugs.)

Verzosa, however, revealed that the driver admitted to having fallen asleep at the wheel when the incident happened.

Furthermore, the driver also confessed that he did not tell his company that he was taking maintenance medication as he did not regularly take the medicines.

Meanwhile, Verzosa noted that the incident occurred during the driver’s first trip of his shift.

He also denied any claims that the driver might be overworked.

Another hearing was set by the LTFRB on May 21.

For the next investigation, the board has required both the bus driver and the conductor to personally appear before the agency, as well as a representative from the bus company.

They will be asked to answer clarificatory questions about their health protocol.

Verzosa also said the management will comply with the LTFRB’s sanctions while the investigation is ongoing, including the surrender of all of its bus plates.

As of posting, 120 of 273 bus plates have been surrendered by Solid North.

The accident occurred at around 12:30 p.m. on May 1, Labor Day, when the passenger bus hit an SUV which was at full stop along with other vehicles at the second lane (northbound) of the SCTEx toll plaza.

The strong impact resulted in a ripple effect, with the SUV also crashing into the other vehicles in front of it.

A total of 10 people—four of whom were children—were killed in the tragedy, with over 37 injured.

The operations of the bus firm has since been suspended./apl