The suspect in the hit-and-run that killed 23-year-old Prince Joaquin Relatos turned himself in to Police Station 7 on Dec. 30, eight days after the incident took place in Barangay Alijis, Bacolod City.
“God never fails. This is a partial justice for Prince,” said his mother Edna, after the surrender of Ian Roy Hucalla, 40.
Hucalla, who works as a company driver, and a resident of Phase 5, Barangay Handumanan, was accompanied by Police Master Sgt. Richard John Sy when he voluntarily surrendered to station chief, Police Chief Insp. Conrado Espino.
Days before, Relatos’ family members and churchmates from the Full Gospel Church launched an appeal dubbed “Justice For Prince” on social media, calling on the driver to surrender.
According to the police, Hucalla admitted driving the red Toyota Innova bearing plate number FAD 8747 that hit a tricycle around 9 p. m. on Dec. 22 along the highway of Barangay Alijis.
He thought that he only slightly hit a tricycle on his way home and never realized that it resulted in the death of a passenger.
Coming from a call center job training, Relatos was also on his way home to Mt. Carmel Subdivision when the accident happened. He fell from the tricycle and was hit by an approaching cane truck, leading to his death.
Espino said they cannot detain the suspect because even if he admitted involvement in the incident, he gave the statement without the presence of a legal counsel.
However, the vehicle, owned by Hucalla’s employer, is now in the custody of Police Station 7.
The police will wait for the family to execute an affidavit and file the case, Espino added.
The second child and the only male among a brood of three, Relatos stopped schooling at the University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos this semester, and decided to train for a call center job. He was also a youth leader at their church.
Relatos’ remains lie in state at their family residence. He will be laid to rest on Jan. 7. – MML
