Raps filed vs missing driver of bus that killed journalist

MANILA, Philippines—Charges have been filed against the driver of the bus that hit the taxi journalist Lourdes “Chit” Estella-Simbulan was riding in on Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City, last Friday.

Simbulan, a journalism professor at the University of the Philippines and a founding trustee of the investigative journalism group Vera Files, died on arrival at a nearby hospital.

The Quezon City Police District said two buses were apparently racing for passengers moments before the crash.

“It looks like the two buses were racing to load more passengers at the Technohub loading bay when the taxi was hit,” said Supt. Arnold Santiago of the Traffic Enforcement Unit.

The QCPD said it filed charges against Daniel Espinosa, the driver of the Universal Guiding Star bus on Monday in the Quezon City prosecutors’ office.

Santiago said the complaint was for reckless imprudence resulting in homicide, as well as abandonment of the victim, an offense punishable by a maximum of 12 years’ imprisonment.

QCPD director Chief Supt. George Regis said a combined team of elements of the TEU, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, and District Anti-Carnapping Unit were tracking down Espinosa, 39.

Also involved are the Highway Patrol Group and the Metro Manila Development Authority, the police official said.

“We are now tracking him down and should we find him, we will secure him so that he will not be able to get away,” Regis said in a press conference yesterday afternoon.

Regis told reporters that they had tried contacting the bus driver through his cellphone but apparently had been turned off.

He clarified that Espinosa could no longer be “arrested” as the 24-hour period for a warrantless arrest had lapsed and that they could only “secure” Espinosa.

Espinosa was allegedly the driver of the Universal Guiding Star bus which hit Simbulan’s taxi at 6 p.m. Friday on Commonwealth Avenue, sometimes referred to as a “killer highway.”

The 54-year-old veteran journalist died on arrival at Malvar General Hospital due to severe head injuries.

However, the TEU said Saturday that there were in fact two buses involved in the fatal car crash and that Espinosa’s bus was the second vehicle to hit the ill-fated taxi.

Seconds before Espinosa slammed into the taxi’s rear, an unidentified bus had nicked the taxi’s right side and sped away.

“At that time, Simbulan’s cab was changing lanes to turn into the (UP-Ayala) Technohub. The taxi was already in the yellow lane,” Santiago told reporters, adding that the bus conductor told them the driver fled after the incident.

The police have yet to determine if taxi driver Vito Jugunos could also be held liable for the mishap.

Regis appealed to Espinosa, as well as the unidentified driver of the other bus, to surrender.

“We appeal to him to contact us, to surrender. We assure him that we will not arrest him and that his constitutional rights will be respected. The longer he hides, the more he is aggravating the situation,” the police official said.

Regis said the bus operator had also assured Espinosa that his family’s financial needs would be shouldered by the company.

“We want to talk to him, invite him for questioning. We also appeal to those coddling him that they may be charged for obstruction of justice,” he added.

Regis said the search for Espinosa was now a nationwide effort.

Police have looked for the driver in Caloocan City, Taguig City and his home in Taytay, Rizal, but the search yielded negative results.

One of his brothers is a G-Liner bus driver while another is a jeepney driver in Taytay, Rizal.

Regis said Espinosa possibly “panicked” after crashing into Simbulan’s taxi, prompting him to run away.

The bus conductor with Espinosa at the time had told investigators the missing driver had no previous record of speeding or any traffic mishap.

Espinosa had worked for four years as a driver with G-Liner and one year at his current company, police records showed.