Estella cab analysis shows new paint stains

A paint analysis conducted on the wrecked taxi cab taken by the late journalist and university professor Lourdes “Chit” Simbulan confirmed that another bus hit the cab before the bus driven by Daniel Espinosa rammed into it.

Superintendent Arnold Santiago, head of the Quezon City Police District Traffic Enforcement Unit, said the paint analysis was part of the reinvestigation ordered by QCPD director Chief Superintendent George Regis based on the statement of the taxi driver and Espinosa.

The official report of the analysis conducted by the Philippine National Police Crime Laboratory will be submitted to the court hearing the complaint against Espinosa.

Santiago also said they are waiting for a subpoena from the court so they can present the latest results of the probe.

The traffic official said the analysis showed that apart from orange paint, stains of green paint at the back of the taxicab were also found on the United Guiding Star bus driven by Espinosa.

“The green stains did not match the color of Universal Guiding Star buses,” Santiago said.

Espinosa and two witnesses pointed to a Nova Auto Transport bus that allegedly hit the cab earlier.

The two eyewitnesses, also employees of Universal Guiding Star, had submitted their affidavits to the Prosecutors’ Office supporting Espinosa’s statement that another bus hit the cab before him.