Ninoy Aquino International Airport car crash

On May 4, 2025, at 08:06 PST (UTC+08:00; 00:06 UTC),^[A] a traffic collision occurred after a sports utility vehicle (SUV) rapidly accelerated and crashed into the terminal 1 building of Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Parañaque, Metro Manila, Philippines. The collision killed two people as a result of the inflicted blunt force traumas; both of whom were standing on the airport's curbside. Four others were also injured.

The accused was Leo Sinlao Gonzales, who was driving the Ford Everest involved in the accident. Gonzales was sending off his traveling employer when, allegedly, a sedan passed in front of him, which he claimed caused him to panic and press the accelerator. However, CCTV footage contradicted his statement, showing no car was ahead of him. Emergency services were called to the site, and the victims were transported to San Juan de Dios Hospital in Pasay. Gonzales had his professional driver's license suspended by the Land Transportation Office, underwent a drug and alcohol test, which he tested negative, and was charged with two counts of homicide and other related charges. The accused first appeared in court on May 27, where he pleaded not guilty.

The accident drew widespread attention, prompting responses from several agencies and reactions from personalities. It also prompted criticisms over airport infrastructure and accusations of corruption after a traffic bollard broke after being run over by the SUV and called out government agencies to address utmost road safety and licensing standards. New NAIA Infrastructure Corporation (NNIC) president Ramon Ang, the Department of Migrant Workers, and the Department of Transportation (DOTr) have vowed to assist the victims. After the accident, NNIC probed other existing traffic bollards at the airport, planning to have them replaced and modify the terminal's drop-off configuration. The Malacañang Palace and the DOTr are initiating an investigation, focusing on scrutinizing the installed bollards at the airport, which were installed while the airport was under government control.

In the morning of May 4, 2025, at around 08:00 PST (UTC+08:00; 00:00 UTC),^[3] the sports utility vehicle (SUV) involved in the incident, a black Ford Everest with license plate DCB 3411, parked in front of the terminal 1 building departure drop-off area of Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Parañaque, Philippines.^[3][4] The SUV was operated by the 47-year-old male company driver Leo Sinlao Gonzales, a resident of Batangas,^[5] who stated that he was accompanying and sending off his employer, who was catching a flight at the airport.^[6][7] Gonzales holds a Philippine professional driver's license.^[7]

At 08:06 (00:06 UTC),^[A] when the driver was about to leave the departure area,^[4][8] the SUV rapidly accelerated towards the airport terminal, striking and severing a metal traffic bollard. The SUV continued past the airport's curbside, hitting several airline passengers standing on the curbside in front of the building, before ultimately crashing into the building's walls.^[5] The incident injured six people, two of whom died.^[5][9] Afterwards, authorities from the New NAIA Infrastructure Corporation (NNIC), the airport's operator, including NCIC president Ramon Ang, the Philippine National Police (PNP), and the Department of Transportation (DOTr), including the transportation secretary Vince Dizon, inspected the crash site.^[4][10] The Philippine Red Cross mobilized ambulance units and emergency services for the injured, transporting them to the nearby San Juan de Dios Hospital in Pasay for treatment.^[9][11] Three of the injured were later transported to St. Luke's Medical Center – Global City in Taguig.^[9]

NAIA's normal operations were disrupted, with Philippine Airlines urging passengers to arrive earlier than usual due to a traffic buildup at the accident site.^[12] Gonzales was later put into police custody by the PNP shortly after.^[10] He said in a statement to the police that before the accident, a white sedan passed in front of his vehicle, which he claimed caused him to panic, resulting in pressing the gas pedal instead of the brakes. However, airport authorities released CCTV footage showing no car was in front of him at the time of the incident.^[4][5] Footage of the site's aftermath was caught on camera and circulated via social media.^[6][11] The incident was seen as unintentional.^[6][11][13]

The accident resulted in the deaths of two people and injured four people, three of whom were hospitalized.^[5][9] Among the dead were a 28-year-old man, Dearick Keo Faustino,^[9][5] and a 5-year-old girl, Malia Kates Yuchen Gayeta Masongsong,^[14] both of whom were pronounced dead on arrival,^[5] due to blunt force traumas inflicted to their heads.^[15] Faustino, his family's breadwinner, working as a publishing company supervisor, was about to travel to Dubai to attend a meeting.^[16] The child's mother, 34-year-old Cynthia Masongsong, was among the critically injured,^[14] who together were accompanying and sending off the child's father, who was about to fly abroad to Europe to work as an Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW).^[17][18] Other injured were identified as a 55-year-old Edith Soriano and a 4-year-old; another victim, identified as Jovita Escarlos, survived with minor injuries.^[5][9]

After the accident, NNIC president Ramon Ang released a statement stating that the NNIC is closely working and cooperating with authorities in the investigation efforts, and he will "personally shoulder" the medical expenses and provide financial assistance to the injured victims and the bereaved families.^[19] The Department of Migrant Workers, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, and the DOTr extend their assistance to the OFW father of the deceased 5-year-old who was killed in the accident.^[18][20]

The accident drew widespread attention from social media users and personalities, who expressed their dismay, criticisms, and outrage on social media platforms.^[14][21] Following the SUV severing a traffic bollard, individuals, including engineers and architects, pointed out on social media the bollard's ineffectiveness.^[21] They argued its importance for safety and must be able to withstand vehicular impact, which the accident proved otherwise.^[22] Actress Anne Curtis expressed her condolences to the affected families in a post on Facebook. Curtis considered the accident a "wake-up call" for the Land Transportation Office (LTO) and the DOTr to improve their services in ensuring the safety of drivers and passengers, particularly by meeting the highest safety and licensing standards.^[23] Senator Grace Poe urged the authorities to prioritize the welfare and demand accountability for the accident, adding that it could have been prevented through proactive measures.^[24] Lawyer and Basilan provincial director for the Bangsamoro Human Rights Commission,^[14][25] Atty. Alman-Najar Namla called out corruption in a post he shared online. Namla added that "if things had been built properly, [...] that child might still be alive", referring to the bollard that gave way in the accident.^[14]

Philippine President Bongbong Marcos ordered an investigation, together with the DOTr and transportation secretary Vince Dizon, scrutinizing the procurement process of the traffic bollards that were installed at NAIA, after they failed to stop the SUV from crashing into the terminal building.^[26][27] An accomplishment report surfaced, which indicated that the bollards were installed in 2019, with the intention of improving passenger safety by preventing vehicles from entering the curbside area.^[28] The report showed that the installation of bollards cost the Manila International Airport Authority and the Philippine government ₱8 million (around US$140 thousand; 2025).^[14][28][29] It was accomplished while the airport was under the government's management^[30] before its privatization with the NNIC in 2024.^[31] Gonzales underwent a drug and alcohol test, in which he tested negative.^[32][33] A show cause order was issued to the owner of the SUV.^[34] The accident is currently under further investigation.^[13][28]

Following the accident, Gonzales's professional driver's license was preventively suspended by the LTO for 90 days while the investigation is ongoing.^[8][34] He was later charged with "reckless imprudence resulting in two counts of homicide, multiple physical injuries, and damage to property" with the possibility of bail;^[7] he was detained under police custody of the PNP.^[8][35] Gonzales was later released from police custody on May 16, 2025, after posting bail amounting to ₱100,000 (around US$1,800; 2025).^[36] The accused appeared in court for the first arraignment on May 27,^[37] where he pleaded not guilty.^[38][39]

NNIC announced on May 6 that the remaining traffic bollards installed in NAIA will undergo probing^[21] and plans to redesign the departure drop-off areas at the airport to improve passenger safety.^[29] The bollards are being analyzed to determine whether they require reinforcements and structural improvements for existing bollards.^[29][30] The NNIC planned to opt for a parallel unloading configuration instead of the initial diagonal passenger drop-off layout at terminals 1 and 2,^[29] which allowed vehicles to face the airport's entrance.^[7]