Cavite police to step up probe into famed cartoonist’s death

MANILA, Philippines — The Cavite police on Sunday vowed to step up its investigation on the death of renowned Manila Bulletin editorial cartoonist Norman Isaac in a hit and run incident late last week.

Cavite police director Col. Marlon Santos said Isaac was crossing a street in Dasmariñas City when he was hit by a speeding motorcycle with no license plate number.

The driver sped off while Isaac was badly injured on the pavement.

“Bukas ang gagawin ko diyan gagawa ako ng case conference para makakuha ako ng update sa one week ng investigation. Kasi kawawa din, 73 years old,” Santos said in an interview with INQUIRER.net.

(Tomorrow I will call for a case conference to find an update in a one week investigation. It is sad, he was 73 years old.)

“Hindi naman namin tinulugan. Ang nangyari nakakalungkot may witness kaso hindi nakuha yung plaka ng sasakayan ng motor,” he added.

(We did not sit on the case. There are actually witnesses who unfortunately could not remember the motorcycle’s license registration number.)

A report from Dasmariñas police chief Lt. Richard Ang said the hit-and-run incident happened around 8 a.m. on June 7, Sunday, along Jose Abad in Avenue Barangay Salitran.

Police said Isaac was crossing the road to reach a restaurant when a motorcycle from the Barangay Salawag area going to Salitran hit him.

Ang said the suspect failed to call an ambulance to help Isaac who was then brought to a nearby hospital by concerned citizens.

Isaac succumbed to his injuries three days after the incident.

Isaac won multiple awards, including the ASEAN Editorial Cartoon Contest, Global Media Awards and National press Club Journalism Awards.

Isaac is also a member of the Samahang Kartunista ng Pilipinas.

gsg, je