Lookout order issued vs. suspect in Mandaluyong hit-and-run incident

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has issued an Immigration lookout bulletin order against the driver of an SUV that ran over a security guard in Mandaluyong City last week.

In a message to reporters on Tuesday, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said the lookout bulletin was issued at noon.

Earlier in the day, Prosecutor General Benedicto Malcontento said the  Mandaluyong Prosecutor’s Office is seeking an Immigration lookout order against the SUV driver.

Interviewed on Dobol B TV, Philippine National Police (PNP) officer-in-charge Police Lieutenant General Vicente Danao Jr. said they have asked the DOJ to issue a similar order.

"We already requested from DOJ on the immigration bulletin lookout para magkaroon ng hold departure order sa kaniya [so that a hold departure order will be issued against him]," Danao said.

"It will be coming out very soon para hindi po siya makalabas ng bansa [so that he will not be able to go out of the country]," he added.

On June 6, victim Christian Joseph Floralde was run over by an SUV as he was trying to direct traffic at the intersection of Julia Vargas Avenue and St. Francis Street in Mandaluyong at around 4 p.m.

He was hit by a White Toyota RAV5  with license plate NCO 3781. The driver quickly escaped the scene instead of helping the victim.

On Monday, the Land Transportation Office revoked the license of supposed driver, Jose Antonio V. Sanvicente, after he failed to appear before the LTO several times despite the show cause orders.

According to Guevarra, a complaint has also been filed against the driver for frustrated murder and violation of Article 275 of the Revised Penal Code.

Article 275 states that the penalty of arresto mayor will be imposed upon those who fail to render assistance to those who he has accidentally wounded or injured, among others.

Danao said based on their latest monitoring, Sanvicente has not yet left the country.

Public cooperation

LTO chief Assistant Secretary Edgar Galvante asked for the public's cooperation by reporting traffic violations to authorities.

“Hinihingi ko rin ang kooperasyon ng public lalong lalo na yung nakakawitness ng paglabag niyan na ipagbigay alam kung may pagka-kriminal ay ipagbigay [alam] sa pulis at kung violation of traffic laws eh ibigay alam sa amin,” Galvante said in an interview with Balitanghali.

(I also ask for the cooperation of the public, especially those who witness traffic violations, to inform the police if there is a crime, and if there is a violation of traffic laws, let us know.)

Galvante bared that a concerned netizen reported Sanvicente's identity to authorities.

“In fact, itong nangyari sa Mandaluyong, ang nag-provide ng data para matunton kung sino yung may-ari is a netizen,” he said.

(In fact, in this incident in Mandaluyong,  a netizen provided the data that identified the vehicle's owner.)

“Nagpapasalamat kami because of that nagkaroon kami ng paraan para ma-trace agad kung sino yung may ari ng sasakyan at ma-abisuhan siya na kailangang dumulog siya para sagutin yung supposed violation na nacommit niya,” he added.

(We are thankful because we immediately traced the vehicle's owner and notified him that he needed to present himself and answer for the supposed violation he committed.)

He also underscored the importance of dash cameras and cellphones in capturing incidents of traffic violations that can be reported to authorities. —Richa Noriega/KBK, GMA News