Death toll in Nueva Ecija bus mishap rises to 9

(Updated 3:30 p.m.) MANILA, Philippines - Five men and four women were reported killed and several others were injured after a passenger bus they were riding fell into a ravine in Nueva Ecija Friday morning. In a telephone interview with GMANews.TV, Police Officer 3 Dionisio Ulatan of the Nueva Ecija police provincial headquarters said initial reports they received from investigators who rushed to the site showed the number of fatalities rose to nine. As of posting time, only two of the fatalities have been identified: Rudy Ronquillo and James Santiago, said SPO1 Rocky Garcia. QTV's Balitanghali earlier reported that six passengers were killed in the accident in Pantabangan, Nueva Ecija. The report said the accident happened 10 a.m. Friday when the bus was negotiating a sharp curve along Kilometer 10 in Malbang village and its brakes malfunctioned. Garcia said the ill-fated bus was bound for Casiguran, Aurora from Cabanatuan City. - GMANews.TV