Cop in Tabunan incident charged

Prosecutors have elevated to court a charge of reckless imprudence resulting to homicide against SPO1 Cesario Torregosa, the policeman who drove the patrol vehicle that hit and killed a man last week.

Prosecutor Raul Cristoria had recommended P8,000 bail for Torregosa''s temporary liberty, but Palace of Justice sources said Municipal Trial Court Judge Rosabella Tormis allowed that the bail be lowered to only P3,000.

In the information, Cristoria said Torregosa committed the offense "without taking into consideration the traffic, grade, visibility and other condition of the highway to prevent accident to person and damage to property, nor due regard to the traffic rules and regulations of the city."

Torregosa was driving the Nissan Terrano patrol car when it ran over three people in barangay Tabunan in the evening of April 12. The city''s traffic group subsequently found out that Torregosa had an expired driver''s license.

Torregosa surrendered to the Traffic Group of the city police after his patrol car without a registered plate hit Narly Bonghanoy, 16; Teresita Panit, 27; and Lorena Robellos, 30.

The victims were rushed to the Perpetual Succour Hospital where Bonghanoy was declared dead on arrival.

The victims were having dinner when Torregosa''s vehicle hit them and a parked motorcycle. Witnesses said the vehicle only stopped when it got stuck in an unfinished toilet hole.

The traffic group had said that Torregosa''s driver''s license already expired in 2002. Torregosa, a member of the Service Security Group, is detailed as driver for patrol vehicles used for police operation in mountain barangays issued by the city government.

When interviewed by The FREEMAN, Torregosa admitted that prior to the incident, he had a few shots of liquor offered by his friends in the area. He said he accepted the drink just for "pakisama" because he was just new to the place.

He added that he had applied for the renewal of his driver''s license and is only waiting for the result of his drug test, which is now a requisite for applying a driver''s license. - Joeberth M. Ocao/MEEV