Two witnesses in journalist's death presented to media

Manila, Philippines - The lawyer of the bus driver implicated in the death of journalist Lourdes “Chit” Estella-Simbulan yesterday presented to the media two witnesses to prove that another bus was involved in the accident.

Lawyer Salvador Panelo presented bus driver Honorio Panaga and his conductor Jonathan Calixtro, who said a Nova Auto Transit also hit the taxi that Simbulan boarded.

Panaga was driving another Universal Guiding Star bus also along Commonwealth Avenue on the night of the accident.

“Nuong mga oras na yun ay halos nasa tapat na ako ng Techno Hub sa Commonwealth Avenue ay nakita ko ang isang bus ng Nova Auto Transit na bumangga at umararo sa isang taxi at mga ilang saglit pa, nakita ko rin ang nabanggit na bus na minamaneho ni Daniel Espinosa na nag-break at kinabig pakanan ang minamanehong bus upang iwasan ang nabanggit na taxi na naka-balandra sa kaniyang dadaanan, subalit inabot pa rin nito ang taxi at nabundol nito sa bandang kaliwang likuran,” Panaga said in his sworn statement.

He even said Espinosa’s passengers also transferred to his vehicle after the crash.

Panelo is representing Daniel Espinosa, a driver of Universal Guiding Star, who surrendered last week after hiding for a few days after the accident.

Panelo also filed before the fiscal a motion for the issuance of a “subpoena dulces tecum and testificanum” to Dr. Melissa Lim, owner of Nova Auto Transit.

Panelo wants Lim “to bring the pertinent log book which records the various Nova buses that ply the route of Commonwealth Avenue on May 13, 2011.”