Charges to be filed vs driver of van that killed Ateneo student

MANILA, Philippines - The family of the 10-year-old student who died after being hit by a van inside the Ateneo de Manila University campus is set to file charges against the van’s driver, a television report said Wednesday. In his report in QTV’s “News on Q,” Joseph Morong quoted lawyer Ronaldo Geron, counsel of the victim’s family, as saying that charges of reckless imprudence resulting in homicide and physical injuries would be slapped against Ma. Theresa Torres. "Kami po ay umaasa na ang hustisya po ay mananaig [We are hoping that justice will prevail]," Geron said. Julian Carlo Miguel Alcantara, a fourth grade student, died Tuesday afternoon after the van driven by Torres hit him and his nanny, Tata Suarez, who sustained several fractures in her body. According to the victim's driver, Khan Alcasabas, Alcantara and Suarez were walking toward their vehicle in the university’s parking area when the van hit them. "Yung mata ko biglang tumingin doon sa bata, ‘yung gulong nasa ulo niya [I saw the boy, the van's tire was almost on his head]," Alcasabas said. Alcantara was rushed to the New Era Hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival, the television report said. "Sa loob ng sasakyan nagdugo na siya, tapos last word niya narinig ko, ‘kuya,’ tapos namatay na siya sa kandungan ko [He was bleeding on the way to the hospital. His last word was ‘kuya.’ He died on my lap],” the driver said. The report said Torres, who was in Ateneo to pick her child when the incident occurred, had declined to face the media. In her sworn affidavit, she blamed her vehicle’s faulty brake for the accident. A police investigator meanwhile checked the vehicle’s brake and found it functioning well, prompting him to theorize that Torres might have mistakenly stepped on the accelerator instead of the brake. "Tinignan ko po yung sasakyan niya, malakas naman po ‘yung preno. Baka po ang naapakan niya ang [gas pedal] kasi automatic po ‘yung sasakyan niya [I checked the brake and saw it was fine. Maybe instead of stepping on the brake she mistakenly stepped on the gas pedal. Her vehicle was automatic],” said PO2 Jun Cuaresma. In a statement, Ateneo administration said they are already conducting an investigation and the incident and assured the assistance would be extended to the victim’s family. "The Ateneo assures the community that a proper and thorough investigation of the incident has been launched, and that counseling assistance is being provided to the affected families and students,” the statement read. The remains of Alcantara now lie in the Chapel of the Holy Guardian Angels inside the Ateneo campus. - GMANews.TV