• CHERYL G. CRUZ
Jagpret Singh, 37, the Indian national involved in the Good Friday road accident in Barangay Alangilan, Bacolod City, that claimed the lives of three persons and injured 17 others, was released from detention April 22 after posting bail of P60,000.
P/Major Mark Joel Reclamado, commander of the Bacolod City Police Office Station 5, said April 23 that Singh, of Barangay Villamonte, was released at around 7 p.m. Tuesday after he posted bail of P60,000, as set by Executive Judge Therese Blanche Bolunia.
Singh, the driver of the red Toyota Innova that rammed into parishioners attending a Good Friday procession, was charged April 21 with reckless imprudence resulting in multiple homicide with serious physical injuries, less serious physical injuries, and slight physical injuries, and damage to property.
Reclamado said that, so far, 15 affidavits have been executed against the driver by the victims, including the families of lay minister Dionelo Solano, tanod Gilven Tanique, and youth member Daynah Plohinog, parishioners of the Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary Parish and Shrine in Alangilan.
Solano died on the spot, and Tanique at the hospital. Plohinog, a student of La Consolacion College-Bacolod, died on Black Saturday, April 19.
Reclamado said it is up to the court to issue subpoena and set the schedule of hearings.
He also said that personnel of the Land Transportation Office already coordinated with them and asked for reports on the road accident.
LTO Region 6 director, Atty. Gaudioso Geduspan II, earlier said he has dispatched personnel from their Negros Occidental Licensing Center to assist authorities in gathering evidence and eyewitness accounts against Singh.
“Given the fatalities and injuries, we are moving to revoke his license on the grounds that he is unfit to operate a motor vehicle,” Geduspan said of the Indian national, who yielded a positive result in the alcohol test.
“This is a clear case of reckless driving. We issued a show‑cause order against him,” Geduspan had said in a statement, adding that the “administrative case will determine whether Singh’s credentials should be permanently cancelled.”
In an earlier media interview, Singh had apologized to the victims, saying he did not purposely cause the accident. | CGC
