A 65-year-old woman was killed after being hit by a vehicle being driven by a local official of the Binangonan, Rizal municipal government on Aug. 6.
The victim was identified as Anastacia Yap while the driver of the vehicle that hit her was identified as Binangonan Councilor Jerome Antiporda.
According to Yap's husband, Enrico, the incident occurred along Manila East Road in Barangay Tagpos, Binangonan and he personally saw how his wife was hit by Antiporda's vehicle.
Yap said his wife just finished checking her plants at a lot they owned just near their house.
“Nauna lang ako sa kanyang tumawid kasi naka motor ako at ayaw niya umangkas sa motor kasi natatakot siya kaya ang sabi niya maglalakad na lang siya. Nakita ko pa sya nakasunod sa akin nasa pedestrian lane siya kasi maingat talaga yan tumawid (I was the first one who crossed the street because I was riding my motorcycle. She said she would just cross the street because she didn't want to ride my motorcycle. I saw her following me while crossing the pedestrian lane because she really was careful when crossing the street)," Enrico said.
“Tapos bigla pagkakita ko nabangga na siya nung sasakyan na mabilis ang takbo. Nakahiga na ang asawa ko sa kalsada (I suddenly saw her get hit by a speeding vehicle and was left lying on the street)," he added.
According to Alexis Yap, son of the couple, Antiporda assisted them until his mother was transferred to another hospital in Pasig City where she was later pronounced dead.
Based on her death certificate, Anastacia's cause of death was hemorrhagic shock secondary to multiple fractures in the pelvis and open femoral on the right secondary to the motor vehicular crash.
Alexis said Antiporda suddenly disappeared when her mother was being revived and they were left shouldering all the medical expenses.
“Wala, bigla na lang siyang nawala tapos hindi na namin macontact,” he said.
In a TV interview, the Yap family's lawyer, Atty. Grace Adducol, presented a CCTV footage that they obtained from a concerned citizen. The footage showed Anastacia, who was right in the middle of the pedestrian lane, getting hit by Antiporda's vehicle.
"Sa amin pong mabilisang pagbabasa, ang lumalabas po doon ay hindi siya ang nakabangga... Sinampa po namin sa kanya reckless imprudence resulting in homicide dahil namatay po si Anna, reckless imprudence resulting to damage in property dahil nabangga po niya at nasira iyong Manila Water pipe. Sinampahan din po namin siya ng abandonment of victim dahil umalis po siya sa lugar ng pangyayari (In our quick reading of Antiporda's counter-affidavit, it says there that he was not the one driving the vehicle that hit Anastacia...We have filed charges of reckless imprudence resulting in homicide because Anna was killed, reckless imprudence resulting to damage in property because he hit a Manila Water pipe, and abandonment of victim because he left the scene of the incident)," Adducol said during the preliminary investigation of the case held at the Provincial Prosecution Office of Rizal.
Alexis said they could no longer contact Antiporda after the incident.
"Hindi na namin siya ma-contact, hindi na siya nakita sa scene, ni hindi na siya nag-reach (out) sa amin noon. Hanggang kinabukasan, tawag kami nang tawag, wala na talaga (We could no longer contact him. He was not even seen at the scene anymore. He didn't even reach out to us since then. We tried calling him numerous times until the following day but he didn't respond)," he stressed.
"Harapin na lang niya, panindigan niya kung anong nagawa niya. Kasi iyong nagawa niya hindi lang isang buhay ang nawala, iyong buong buhay ng pamilya namin nawala. During sa libing ng nanay ko, nilibing siya ng mga magulang niya kasi buhay pa ang lolo't lola ko. Napakasakit, magulang ang naglilibing sa anak (He just needs to face the charges and take responsibility for whatever he has done because he did not just take the life of my mom but our whole family. During the burial of my mom, she was buried by her parents because my grandfather and grandmother are still alive. It hurts so much for a parent to bury their own child)," Al Ericson Yap, one of the sons of the Yaps, said.
Not hiding nor running away
In a statement issued on Aug. 14 by Antiporda’s office, he denied running away or hiding.
“The charges pose a big challenge to his public office as well as his personal life. He has been, thus far, criticized, maligned, and adjudged in social media and the court of public opinion,” it said.
“Councilor Antiporda is taking the whole matter in stride. He will face the charges against him at the proper forum. He is not running away or hiding from authorities, but he only needed some time off to reflect, ensure his personal safety and study his remedies under the law,” it added.
Antiporda maintained that he has been reaching out with the family and he extended financial assistance to them.
He went to the Fiscal's Office but declined to give a statement.
His lawyer, Atty. Solo Tibe, also declined to give additional details on the case.
"Categorically, we stated that from day 1, si konsehal was not drunk. Not even a glass of beer or alcohol at that time of the incident... Categorically we'll tell you that si konsehal has been driving all his life moderately and a defensive driver, at that. And even the location of the incident would not allow for fast driving because it's a busy street, it's located in so many subdivisions, and many establishments. It's a populated area, that is not possible (Categorically, we stated that from day 1 that the councilor was not drunk. Not even a glass of beer or alcohol at that time of the incident... Categorically we'll tell you that he has been driving all his life moderately and he is a defensive driver, at that. And even the location of the incident would not allow for fast driving because it's a busy street, it's located in so many subdivisions, and many establishments. It's a populated area, that is not possible)," Tibe said.
The public official's camp said they are ready to settle the case.
"Since day 1, Councilor Antiporda has reached out, and as expected, the matter is still very hot, the sentiments are high. We don't want to push but we really want an amicable settlement, if possible. We're open to that, as early as the night of the incident," Tibe said.