MANILA — The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) released Friday a preventive suspension for Victory Liner's Cubao-Baguio route over an accident that left at least 3 dead.

During the 30-day suspension, the LTFRB ordered Victory Liner's operator to show proof of financial assistance and payments from its passenger insurance company to the victims of the accident.

Its drivers were required to undergo a road safety seminar.

The LTFRB also asked Victory Liner to present a roadworthiness certificate for its 26 units and compelled it to submit the schedule of maintenance service for the buses.

The company was told to explain why its Certificate of Public Convenience should not be suspended, canceled, and/or revoked on January 24.

An ABS-CBN News report said a burst tire could have caused the accident, which saw a Victory Liner bus crash into a tree at Pugo, La Union while traveling to Cubao, Quezon City last January 3.

"While the incident may look like it was unintentional, it could have been still avoided had the bus involved undergone a thorough roadworthiness inspection," said LTFRB Chairman Teofilo Guadiz III.

"This should be a lesson learned for all public utility vehicles. The mindset of bus operators, drivers, and conductors should always be about road safety whenever they go out and serve the commuting public; otherwise, they have no business operating in the public transportation sector."

—with a report from Jekki Pascual