A VEHICLE involved in a fatal hit-and-run incident that killed a habal-habal (motorcycle taxi) driver and his passenger in Barangay Jagobiao, Mandaue City, at dawn on Sunday, October 6, 2024, has been found by the police after it was abandoned in a warehouse Consolacion town.
The vehicle in question is a white Toyota Fortuner with plate number GAT 9609, now in the custody of the Traffic Enforcement Unit of the Mandaue City Police Office (MCPO).
The SUV driver reportedly did not stop, leaving the two victims lying on the road.
The victims died instantly due to the strong impact.
The victims were identified as Richard Quia-ot and Maria Niña Logarta Boyles, both residents of Barangay Labogon, Mandaue City.
They were reportedly returning home from Consolacion, where they bought supplies for the anniversary celebration of their homeowners’ association.
Upon reaching Jagobiao, the SUV overtook another vehicle and struck their motorcycle, killing them both.
According to Police Lieutenant Colonel Mercy Villaro, the information officer of the MCPO, the vehicle was located after it was shown on CCTV being abandoned in a Consolacion warehouse.
"Daku ang pasalamat sa MCPO sa mga tawo nga ni cooperate labi na sa mga establishments nga naay CCTV ug sa city government nga nakita gyud kung asa mipaingun ang kining sakyanan nga Fortuner ang ni hit and run sa atung mga biktima," Villaro said.
(The MCPO is very thankful to the public, especially to the establishments with CCTV, and the city government, as these helped us track the Fortuner involved in the hit-and-run).
Villaro could not yet confirm if the owner of the warehouse where the vehicle was abandoned is also the owner of the SUV, as the investigation is still ongoing.
The owner of the vehicle has already been identified based on the records from the Land Transportation Office (LTO) 7, but the authorities are still withholding his identity since they still have to find out whether the hit-and-run driver is also the car's owner.
Erajane Boyles, the daughter of Maria Niña, revealed in an interview with DyHP AM radio that a lawyer representing the owner of the SUV contacted their family and expressed willingness to cover all expenses related to the incident.
The lawyer did not disclose the driver’s identity but confirmed that the owner of the SUV was not driving at the time of the accident, since they were in Iloilo, and it was their driver who caused the collision.
"Naay message ang lawyer sir, ingun siya maayong buntag mam/sir si Attorney Cabahug ni lawyer ko sa registered owner sa nakabangga sa motor kagahapon sa kaadlawon mam/sir. On behalf sa iyang driver among ipaabot ang simpatiya sa nahitabo, akung ipaabot pud nga tungod walay ika bayad ang iyang driver ang tag-iya sa sakyanan nga tua sa Iloilo ang mo shoulder sa expenses ninyo ug damage nga nabuhat sa iyang driver sa inyung pamilya." Erajane said.
(The lawyer sent a message, sir, saying, 'Good morning, ma'am/sir, I'm Attorney Cabahug, representing the registered owner of the SUV that hit a motorcycle yesterday dawn. On behalf of his driver, we express our sympathies for the incident. Since the driver cannot afford to pay for the damages, the owner, who is currently in Iloilo, will shoulder all the expenses and damages caused by the accident).
Despite this, the family still plans to file a case of Reckless Imprudence Resulting in Double Homicide and Damage to Property against the driver. (AYB, TPT)