This screengrab from a video circulating online shows a person with disability (PWD) apparently being attacked by passengers aboard the carousel bus along Epifanio Delos Santos Avenue (Edsa) on Monday, June 9, 2025. (Screengrab from viral video)
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� A person with disability (PWD) was mauled by passengers on the Epifanio Delos Santos Avenue (Edsa) bus carousel, prompting the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to suspend the license of the bus driver.
According to Land Transportation Office (LTO) Chief Vigor Mendoza II, the victim boarded the bus at the Kamuning station, and the incident occurred in the vicinity of the Buendia station on Monday morning, June 9.
鈥淢ayroon siyang mental disability鈥� Siya鈥檡 kinuyog at binugbog ng ating mga ibang kababayan natin na sumakay,鈥� DOTr Secretary Vince Dizon said of the victim in a press conference at the agency鈥檚 offices in San Juan City on Friday.
(He has a mental disability鈥� He was attacked and beaten up by our fellow citizens who rode the bus.)
鈥淒apat naiintindihan nga ng mga kababayan natin, pero siguro yung mga kababayan natin sa bus na yun, hindi nga naintindihan,鈥� Dizon explained.
(Our fellow citizens should be understanding, but I suppose those on that bus couldn鈥檛 be understanding.)
However, the DOTr secretary could not explain the cause of the incident, stating that he would meet with the victim and his family later on Friday to gather more details.
Dizon identified the victim by the nickname 鈥淢acmac.鈥�
He also said the incident prompted the DOTr to summon both the bus driver and conductor, suspend the driver鈥檚 license for 90 days, and send an order to the bus company to explain.
鈥淜apag ang kababayan natin ay nakasakay sa isang public utility vehicle鈥� may responsibilidad yung kumpanya na yun at yung driver nun at yung konduktor nun para pangalagaan ang safety ng lahat ng mga nakasakay sa kanyang public utility vehicle,鈥� Dizon stressed.
(When our citizens ride a public utility vehicle, its company, its driver, and its conductor have a responsibility to take care of the safety of all those riding the public utility vehicle.)
READ: DOTr apologizes after MRT 3 guards deny entry to PWD
Driver, conductor鈥檚 response
In the same press conference, Mendoza said the bus driver and the conductor had already given a statement when they were asked to report to the LTO last Thursday night.
鈥淪inasabi nila nangangagat daw yung pasahero. Tapos, sinasabi nila, hindi raw nila alam na kinukuyog yung pasahero sa likod. All these sound hard to believe,鈥� Mendoza said.
(They said the passenger was biting people. Then, they said they didn鈥檛 know the passenger was being attacked in the back. All these sound hard to believe.)
鈥淲hat is very clear to us is that they did not report this mauling,鈥� he added.
Mendoza further detailed that the bus company said the driver and the conductor did not report the incident to them, nor enforcers of the DOTr Special Action and Intelligence Committee for Transportation stationed near the Edsa bus carousel stops.
Dizon said the department was still looking to track down the passengers allegedly involved and coordinating with the Philippine National Police to resolve the case.
He further said the DOTr will extend assistance to the victim鈥檚 family to help them recover from the incident.
Awareness of disabilities
Dizon also said the department would coordinate with the National Council on Disability Affairs, local government units, and other concerned government agencies regarding PWDs on public transportation.
READ:
鈥淲e really need to provide these safe spaces. We need to educate everyone. Everyone needs to be educated on how to properly treat our fellow citizens who have mental issues or mental problems,鈥� Dizon stressed.
鈥淭his is not easy, but [the] government needs to do something. [The] government needs to protect the most vulnerable amongst our citizens,鈥� he added.
The DOTr secretary cited his experience with his younger brother, who has lived with autism./coa