The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has ordered the suspension of the franchise of the transportation firm whose passenger bus figured in road mishap that killed at least 41 passengers and injured eight others in Benguet Province Wednesday.

LTFRB officer in charge Assistant Secretary Dante Lantin said the Eso Nice bus (AVB 549), which was plying the Baguio-Sta. Catalina, Ilocus, Sur route before it figured in an accident at Brgy. Banangan in Sablan, Benguet, is operating under a franchise covering three more bus units.

Lantin said the LTFRB - Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) has already ordered the operator of Eso Nice bus company to turnover its ill-fated bus and three others at the Land Transportation Office in Ilocos Sur for inspection and investigation.

“Based on our records, the bus firm’s franchise case number 96-01-1013 will expire on June 26, 2011. The extent of the suspension of franchise for all four buses will depend on the findings of the inspection. But certainly, the suspension will not be lesser than two weeks,” he said.

Lantin added that the LTFRB-CAR has also ordered the insurance consortium to expedite the release of financial claims of the accident victims. Insurance beneficiaries of dead passengers are expected to receive at least P60,000 each while those of injured victims are entitled to at least P12,500 each.