Twenty of those who died in the accident in Manila were on board the bus, according to traffic investigator Jose Abuyog.

Pedestrians walk beside the overturned bus in Manila

The other two fatalities were from the van, he said, adding that the death toll may rise.

A further 20 people were injured when the bus fell 20 feet from the highway onto the road below.

The bus driver, who survived, will undergo questioning by police.

A police officer at the scene of the crash

Don Mariano Transit, the bus company involved in the accident, has been suspended for 30 days as its other vehicles are examined, Ginez told ABS-CBN television.

In 2011, three people were killed and four injured when a bus fell from the same elevated highway.