Hit-and-run suspect attends probe

MANILA, Philippines — After skipping a preliminary investigation last week, hit-and-run suspect Jose Antonio Sanvicente appeared before the Mandaluyong City prosecutor’s office yesterday and responded to the criminal complaint filed against him.

Sanvicente, 31, arrived at the fiscal’s office at past 10 a.m. and submitted his counter-affidavit during the proceedings, which lasted for about 30 minutes.

Sanvicente and his lawyer, Danny Macalino, did not answer questions from reporters and did not show a copy of his counter-affidavit.

According to an insider, Sanvicente declared in his counter-affidavit that he accidentally bumped security guard Christian Joseph Floralde, who was then directing traffic at an intersection in front of a mall in Barangay Wack-Wack on June 5.

Police have filed charges of frustrated murder and abandonment of one’s victim under Article 275 of the Revised Penal Code against Sanvicente.

A dashcam video of the incident showed that Sanvicente’s sport utility vehicle, a Toyota RAV 4, stopped when it hit Floralde. The SUV then ran over the security guard, who was lying on the ground.

Floralde failed to attend the preliminary investigation as he needs to recover from his injuries, according to his lawyer Federico Biolena.

Biolena said they have yet to decide whether to file a reply to Sanvicente’s counter-affidavit, adding the prosecutor has not set another hearing.

Floralde’s camp thanked Philippine National Police officer-in-charge Lt. Gen. Vicente Danao Jr. for his assistance.

“With his help, we were able to get the police reports and other documents from the Highway Patrol Group,” Biolena said.

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