A doll lies in a pool of blood of a four-year-old girl who was killed after being ran over by an SUV. Photo from the Manila Police District.
MANILA, Philippines — She merely wanted to ask for some loose change, not minding the countless vehicles whizzing past the busy streets of Manila, knocking at the windows of cars when traffic stopped.
That afternoon of September 15 on Adriatico Street, little did she know that in her attempt to beg for alms she would have to pay with her life when she was hit by a sports utility vehicle (SUV) in Malate, Manila.
The Manila Police District (MPD), in a report on Friday, said the incident took place at 2PM of Thursday in the southbound lane of Adriatico Street, Manila.
“Upon reaching the corner of Quirino Avenue, Malate, Manila, said vehicle hit/bumped above-named pedestrian/victim, thereby sustaining physical injuries,” the MPD said in its report.
The victim was brought to the Ospital ng Maynila for treatment, but was declared dead on arrival by an attending physician.
Speaking to INQUIRER.net, Police Staff Sergeant Allen Christian Camangon, who was investigating the case, said the child approached the SUV for alms.
“Ayon po sa nakalap kong impormasyon, namamalimos po yung bata, nasa labas,” Camangon said over the phone on Friday night.
(Based on the information I gathered, the child was begging for alms outside.)
This was further corroborated by the SUV driver who police identified as 63-year old Gil Cruzada. “Based po sa statement ni [driver], opo namamalimos po siya,” the police said.
(Based on the driver’s statement, the child was begging for alms.)
Camangon said the family of the victim chose not to press charges against the driver, but said he could not verify if the driver reached an amicable settlement with the family.
“Nagpasa po sila sa akin ng sulat po na notaryado nila, sa akin kanina,” he said when asked if the two parties reached an agreement.
(They submitted a notarized letter to me.)
“Pagdating ko nga po, ayaw na nila ako kausapin eh, ayos na daw sila,” he said of the victim’s family.
(When I arrived, the family did not want to talk to me anymore, saying that all is fine.)
The investigator also said the child, who was a Muslim, was already buried in accordance to Islamic tradition that a dead person should be buried immediately.
“Hindi na din po sila interesado sa death certificate ng bata,” he said of the victim’s family.
(They were not even interested in the child’s death certificate.) — with Kristelle Razon, INQUIRER.net trainee