Inspector, conductor of crashed bus hailed as heroes

ILOILO CITY – A bus inspector and conductor were hailed as heroes for losing their lives to save passengers of a Ceres bus that plunged off a cliff in Hamtic, Antique on December 5.

BUS inspector Jayvoni Fandagani (left) and bus conductor Wilmar Marcelino lost their lives saving passengers in the Antique bus tragedy. (Facebook)

Bus inspector Jayvoni Fandagani shielded teacher Mica Marie Servano while bus conductor Wilmar Marcelino protected another passenger and child when the bus lost its brakes and fell off a 30-meter ravine in Barangay Igbucagay.

“Mica only had several contusions because she was covered by Ceres bus inspector Jayvon Fandagani, who unluckily lost his life. May the soul of Jayvon rest in peace,” said Antiqueño environmentalist Bong Sanchez in a viral post.

Marcelino was a conductor for Vallacar Transit, operator of Ceres buses, for 10 years. He is from San Joaquin, Iloilo and survived by his wife and two young children.

“Despite the unfortunate outcome, Marcelino bravely saved an Antiqueña passenger and another child during the incident, shielding them. Regrettably, he didn’t survive, but the pregnant passenger did,” said businessman Flord Nicson Calawag, Marcelino’s townmate in Tibiao, Antique.

Meanwhile, the death toll in the tragedy rose to 18 as of December 7.