Drunk, newbie driver kills couple in Bulacan

A driver who was allegedly drunk and unfamiliar with driving an automatic vehicle killed a couple in San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan on Monday night after he plowed through several street vendors.

According to Emil Sumangil’s Tuesday report on “24 Oras,” the driver, Rene Endaya, was caught on video losing control of his vehicle that eventually hit street vendors along Quirino Highway.

The San Jose Del Monte rescue team tried to revive 29-year-old Jovelyn Vasquez but she died on the spot.

Her live-in partner Jonaver Adaza was rushed to the hospital but died early Tuesday morning after suffering leg and arm fractures.

They were both banana vendors with four children, their relatives said.

“Bakit niyo po ginawa ‘yun? Sana pinag-isipan mo. Hindi mo ba alam apat ang umaasa sa kaniya, mga maliliit pa ang anak niya? Sana pinag-isipan mo pero sinadya mo. Nakita ka na sa video, binalikan pa niya. Do’n ako nasaktan,” said ex-wife Jinky Adaza.

“Grabe po, kung makikita niyo lang ang itsura ng anak ko at manugang ko, grabe, hindi niyo po kakayanin. Kaya hihingi po ako ng tulong, itutuloy po namin ‘yung laban namin. Hindi po kami uurong,” Violeta Vasquez added.

Two other vendors were injured in the incident.

Police said Endaya first slammed into a money remittance center before hitting the victims.

“Nakainom po ‘yung driver. Bumili sila ng ulam na lechong manok. Ngayon, paalis na sila nang biglang hindi niya makontrol ‘yung sasakyan niyang Innova,” investigator Police Staff Sergeant Wenefredo Dalagan said.

“Natakot ako. Umuusok ‘yung makina, galit na galit siya. ‘Di ko na alam,” Endaya explained.

The investigation also found that the driver, a businessman, was not yet familiar with driving an automatic vehicle.

“Halos kailan lang siya nag-drive ng automatic na vehicle. So ang dati niya raw vehicle ay lahat puro conventional, ‘yung stick shift. Human error po ang nakikita natin dito,” a policeman said.

Endaya will face several charges, including reckless imprudence resulting in double homicide, multiple physical injuries, damage to property, and violation of the Drunk Driving Act.

“Humihingi ako sa kanila ng paumanhin [sa] nangyari. ‘Di ko naman kagustuhan,” Endaya told the victims’ kin.

“Ngayon, ang akin lang, pag-usapan namin kung ano man ‘yon. Lahat naman ng bagay nadadaan sa usapan, hindi naman ako tatakbo kasi hindi ko naman kagustuhan ‘yun.  Pero ako, panagutan ko ‘yan. Nangyari e, ‘di ko naman kagustuhan ‘yan,” he added. —Julia Mari Ornedo/LDF, GMA News