CEBU, Philippines - The driver of the Mitsubishi Fuso dump truck who figured in an accident last week has been freed from jail temporarily after he posted a bail of P30,000 yesterday.
Lawyer Winsor Calamba, legal counsel of Mandy Estares, 38, confirmed that his client had posted bail for the reckless imprudence resulting in homicide in relation to Republic Act 7610 or child abuse charge.
“Yes, he is out already,†Calamba’s text message reads.
On Friday, state prosecutor Petronio Elesterio recommended the filing of the case against Estares in court after the driver waived his right to a preliminary investigation, which means, he chose not to answer the charges at the prosecutor’s level.
During inquest proceeding, Estares said he would answer the charges in court.
The incident killed three including a 10-year old boy, Diether Caracol, a resident of Barangay Calumpang, Oslob, Cebu.
The van Caracol was riding in was traveling to Cebu City from Oslob when it slammed into the dump truck driven by Estares along the national highway in Barangay Talaga, Argao town. Caracol and the other children on board the van were supposed to undergo check-up at the Chong Hua Hospital at that time. Some of the children injured are persons with disabilities.
Aside from Caracol, Guillerma Belandres, 25 of Barangay Banjigan, Dalaguete, Cebu and Rosalinda Laurente, 42, of Barangay Calumpang also died in the accident.
Renante Manitis who witnessed the incident, said the van was travelling at high speed and the slippery and slightly curved road might have made difficult for it to maneuver.(FREEMAN)