At least 20 killed in Philippine road accident

Manila: Police in the Philippines say at least 20 people were killed and 44 others injured when a truck smashed into the rear of a passenger bus on a remote downhill provincial road, setting off a succession of crashes.

Atimonan town police chief Jonar Yupio says the bus driver lost control of his vehicle and hit two buses and four vans coming from the opposite direction before toppling over, pinning many of the victims. Four children, the truck driver and his assistant were among those killed. Yupio says it was raining when the accident occurred early this morning, shortly past midnight. He says there have been about five other accidents on the narrow downhill road in Quezon province, about 115 kilometers southeast of Manila.