The 83-year-old father-in-law of Sen. Grace Poe was injured after the vehicle he was driving fell from the third level of the parking building of Greenhills Shopping Center in San Juan City Sunday morning, Nov. 18.
Senior Supt. Dindo Reyes, San Juan City police chief, identified the victim as Dr. Teodoro Paraiso-Llamanzares, a retired otolaryngologist or an ear, nose, and throat doctor. “He is the father-in-law of Sen. Grace Poe. I talked to the husband of the senator awhile ago,” he said.
Initial investigation showed that at 9:45 a.m., Llamanzares was parking his grey Toyota Innova (AHA-8024) on the third level of the parking building when he accidentally stepped on the accelerator of his vehicle.
The vehicle crashed into the metal railing, then fell into the street. “Shoppers thought it was an explosion. Apparently, a car fell off the parking building,” Reyes said.
According to parking security personnel and attendants who witnessed the incident, the vehicle continuously accelerated and struck the steel barrier of the building and fell to the ground.
Based on the video posted by Sandy Cotoco, the car fell upside down. Glass and metal fragments were seen scattered around the impact zone. The victim was rushed to Cardinal Santos Medical Center in San Juan City.
Reyes was told by doctors that the victim is now on “stable condition.” However, he is still being observed at the said hospital.
Poe said his father-in-law was responsive and they were awaiting for the result of his Computerized Tomography scan.
The in-laws of the senator went to church before the incident, the police chief said.
“He dropped her wife at a shop to buy something before the incident. He said that they went to church before going to Greenhills,” Reyes said.
Police are still investigating what triggered the accident. (Jel Santos with a report from Jhon Aldrin Casinas)
