By Dominic B. dela Cruz
Staff reporter
Batac
City—Vice mayor Ronald Allan M. Nalupta said
their family is continually extending financial assistance to the victims of a
vehicular accident that occurred during the funeral of his father, former
Ilocos Norte Vice Governor Mariano R. Nalupta Jr. last Sept. 13.
A police report of the
incident stated that the accident occurred inside the parking area of the
Immaculate Conception Parish Church in this city. A sports utility vehicle
owned by Atty. Richard Alvin M. Nalupta and driven by Eric Marzan suddenly
accelerated and bumped off other vehicles and people that were near it.
In the same report, the
police said initial investigations showed that vehicle’s sudden acceleration
made the driver lose control of the vehicle. The victims were immediately
rushed to the nearest hospitals.
As of press time, the vice
mayor said he and the entire Nalupta family are constantly visiting victims
confined at the Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital as well as those who have been
discharged to extend assistance both financially and otherwise.
Mr. Nalupta, in behalf of his
family, also extended their apology to all the victims as he stressed that it
was an accident that nobody wanted to happen.
He emphasized that their
priority now is to check on the situation of the victims, who are all mostly
their family friends and supporters of the late vice governor. He added that
they will also look into damages caused to other vehicles.
Of the 13 victims, four are
still under recovery at the Batac hospital. One casualty was identified as of
Tomasa Domingo, 72, widow and a resident of Barangay Quiling Norte in this city.
According to the vice mayor,
his family shouldered all the expenses incurred at the hospital as well as the burial
including the construction of her tomb. They also gave additional financial
assistance to Ms. Domingo’s family.
Also among the victims of the
accident were two members of another political clan in the province, the
Fariñases. Sangguniang Panlalawigan senior board member Ria Christina Fariñas
is recovering at a Metro Manila Hospital; while former Vigan City councilor
Janina Medina-Fariñas was already discharged from the hospital.
“We are praying for their
complete recovery at the soonest possible time,” Mr. Nalupta said, adding: “Pagdis-dispensaren iti pamilya Fariñas iti daytoy a napasamak, appo ket ladingiten mi iti daytoy a
napasamak ket ikar-kararag tayo ta tay panag-recover ni bokala apo ket tuloy-tuloyen”.
The
Ilocos Times learned that Rep. Rodolfo “Rudy”
C. Fariñas said in a press interview that his family has no plans to file a
complaint against the driver of the vehicle as what happened was an accident.
As this developed, Batac police
officer-in-charge P/Supt. Reynaldo Sagmayao Ogay Jr. said his office have not
yet received any complaints coming from the owners of the vehicles and victims
that were hit during the funeral of the former vice governor.
Relative to this, Mr. Ogay
said that some owners of the vehicles already filed a waiver stating further
that they are no longer interested to file a complaint.
Mr. Ogay said the driver was
already released because the 16 hours stay at the police has expired and no
complaint filed against him.
The former vice governor died
of a heart attack at the Philippine Heart Center in Manila early morning of
September 2, 2014.
The three-termer vice
governor was also the former president of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines
Ilocos Norte chapter and a congressman of the second district of Ilocos Norte.
Mr. Nalupta was married to a three-term
SP member and former Batac mayor Ma. Elena Marders-Nalupta; with four children
namely: current Batac vice mayor Ronald Allan Nalupta, presiding MTC Branch 1
Judge of Laoag Myra Nalupta Barba, former SK provincial federated SK chairman
and former National Youth Commissioner (NYC) chairman Atty. Richard Alvin
Nalupta and Barangay 2 Ablan, Batac chairperson Francisco Nalupta III.
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