At least 20 people were killed and 15 others were injured in a road collision that happened on Christmas Day in Agoo, La Union of Philippines on Monday (December 25).

Among the casualties, at least three are minors, including a 5-month-old child, report media of Philippines and other international media.

According to Agoo police chief Chief Inspector Roy Villanueva, a bus crashed with a jeepney along the national highway at around 3:30 am. The people were traveling by bus to join the Christmas Day mass.

The local police chief added that the jeepney was privately owned, while the bus was owned by operating company Partas.

The Partas bus was on its way to Laoag City, Ilocos Norte. The jeepney, from Agoo, was on its way to our Lady of Manaoag.

Villanueva said their investigators are still probing the area of the incident and clarifying with survivors what happened.

Police said the 19 were said to have died on the spot, and that the collision was so disproportionate, the engine of the jeep was yanked out.

Almost exactly a year ago, also in Agoo, a Partas bus slammed a Dominion Bus, leaving two dead.

On December 22, 2016, at the national highway along Santa Fe, the Dominion bus had already gone on the shoulder to avoid the speeding Partas, but they still collided. The two dead and 18 other injured were from the Dominion bus, while 7 of the injured were inside Partas.

Nonetheless, the police official said, the highway has still not been declared an "accident-prone area."

BDST: 1330 HRS, DEC 25, 2017
EHJ