A passenger jeepney plowed into a group of pedestrians in Makati City, killing a student and injured seven others in Makati City, Wednesday night.
Makati City Mayor Abigail Binay expressed grief and shock in the traffic accident that killed 14-year-old student Jules Villapando.
Seven others, who were schoolmates of Villapando, were injured and rushed to the Makati Medical Center and the Ospital ng Makati.
The driver of the jeep, Crisalde Tamparong, 31, is now under the custody of the Makati City Police.
Mayor Binay asked the police to immediately subject Tamparong to a drug test.
She has also ordered the police to identify the operator of the jeepney and recommend the immediate suspension of its franchise.
According to the report, the students were crossing the pedestrian lane at around 7:20 p.m. J.P. Rizal Street when Tamparong’s jeep (PYV 848) came and suddenly drove into the victims.
The suspect claimed that the jeepney lost its brakes. However, closed circuit television footage from the area of the incident showed that the jeepney had slowed down before accelerating and hitting the students.
The mayor assured the victims and their families that the city government will see to it that justice will be served. (Dhel Nazario, Jel Santos)
