Car owner in hit-and-run charged

MANILA, Philippines — Police have filed criminal charges against the owner of a sport utility vehicle (SUV) that ran over a security guard in Mandaluyong City over the weekend.

Philippine National Police (PNP) spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo said yesterday complaints of frustrated murder and abandonment of one’s own victim in violation of Article 275 of the Revised Penal Code were filed by the Mandaluyong police against the owner of the vehicle before the city prosecutor’s office on Monday at around 6 p.m.

Citing the police’s verification with the Land Transportation Office (LTO), Fajardo identified the SUV’s registered owner as Jose Antonio San Vicente Sr., a resident of a subdivision in Quezon City.

Fajardo said they are planning to file a separate criminal case against security guards of Ayala Heights, where Antonio lives, for obstruction of justice after they barred police on Monday from entering the gated community to conduct a follow-up investigation.

Security guard Christian Floralde was directing traffic at the corner of J. Vargas and St. Francis street in Barangay Wack-Wack on Sunday when the SUV, a Toyota RAV 4, hit him.

Instead of stopping to help Floralde, the SUV’s driver ran over the security guard and fled from the scene.

Fajardo said they received information that it was San Vicente’s son and namesake who was the one driving the vehicle at the time of the incident.

San Vicente’s lawyers have reached out to the victim’s family, supposedly to help Floralde with his medical expenses. The security guard is recuperating from his injuries at the intensive care unit of a hospital in Mandaluyong.

Fajardo assured the public that no special treatment will be given to San Vicente, who is reportedly from a wealthy family.

The Land Transportation Office said neither San Vicente nor his son appeared during yesterday’s hearing on the incident.