Memorial service held for 5 Pinay nurses in limo fire, probe results may be out this week

Published June 16, 2013 6:06am

A memorial service was held on Saturday night (PHL time) for five Filipina nurses who died in a limousine fire in last May, as officials hope for answers to lingering questions on their tragic fate when official probe results are released as early as this coming week.

The Philippine Embassy in Washington posted on its Twitter account a photo of the memorial service program for the five, with Msgr. Mariano Balbago Jr. as officiating priest.

It said the memorial service was in memory of Anna Alcantara, Jennifer Balon, Michelle Estrera, Neriza Fojas, and Filomena Geronga.

The five died after a stretch limo they were riding to a hotel for Fojas' bachelorette party caught fire.

Philippine ambassador to Washington Jose Cuisia Jr. said there are "still many questions left.unanswered in San Mateo Bridge tragedy that took five promising lives."

"Hopefully we will get answers when authorities release results of official investigation next week," he said.

Costco store shooting

Ambassador Cuisia also requested prayers for Filipina Mylene de Leon-Scott, who policemen fatally shot during an incident at a Costco store on May 29.

"May we also soon find answers to the many questions surrounding her untimely death so she, too, can be allowed to rest in peace," he said.

Some Filipino-American community groups earlier expressed outrage over the fatal shooting of de Leon-Scott, calling for an impartial probe of the incident.

Authorities initially said de Leon-Scott was shot dead by police officers responding to a reported disturbance inside the Costco Wholesale Store in Sterling.

“We request authorities to conduct a thorough, impartial and expeditious investigation of the incident,” Cuisia said.

He aded that the Embassy “shares the concerns expressed by Ms. Scott's family in the Philippines and the members of the Filipino-American Community that law enforcement officials may have responded with disproportionate force.” — ELR, GMA News

Tags: limousinefire, nerizafojas