SUV Driver In Viral Hit-And-Run Surrenders

Bowing to pressure from authorities, the owner of a sport utility vehicle (SUV) that ran over a security guard in Mandaluyong City on June 5 surrendered on Wednesday, June 15, after more than a week of hiding.

Accompanied by his parents and lawyer, Jose Antonio Sanvicente turned himself in to Philippine National Police (PNP) officer-in-charge Lt. Gen. Vicente Danao Jr. at Camp Crame in Quezon City at past noon.

Sanvicente also turned over to police the SUV involved in the hit-and-run incident, a Toyota RAV 4.

The suspect apologized to his victim, Christian Floralde, whom he ran over and abandoned at an intersection in front of a mall in Barangay Wack-Wack.

“My apologies to the victim and his family,” Sanvicente said at a press conference.

The suspect’s lawyer, Danny Macalino, stressed his client was very apologetic.

“Hindi niya gustong mangyari ‘yung insidente. Nagkataon lang natakot siya at nag-panic,” Macalino said.

In an interview after the news briefing, Sanvicente said he could not remember details about the accident.

“Hindi ko rin talaga maalala. Gaya nang sinabi ko, magulo isip ko noon,” he said. “Hindi ko masagot ngayon, baka mali pa ang masabi ko sa inyo. Sorry.”

Sanvicente surfaced a day after Danao ordered a manhunt for the suspect’s arrest.

On Tuesday, June 14, the Department of Justice issued a lookout bulletin directing Bureau of Immigration officers to relay information to the DOJ if the suspect attempts to leave the country.

Sanvicente’s mother, who refused to be named, admitted that it was Danao’s pronouncements that her son might be hooked on drugs that prompted the surrender.

“Natakot na talaga ako. We have to surrender to General Danao,” she said.

She appealed for public understanding for Sanvicente, who drew outrage from netizens after he went into hiding for over a week following the incident, which went viral on social media.

The suspect’s mother said Sanvicente is a good and responsible person who got involved in an accident. She noted nobody would want to run away from responsibility but her son was rattled.

“Sino ba may gusto na takbuhan ‘yun? Siyempre na-rattle na rin siya,” she said.

“Mabait ’yung anak ko…Nagtatrabaho siya, he’s a very responsible man and I think ito, aksidente talaga ito,” Sanvicente’s mother added.

Sanvicente’s mother also revealed that the incident has caused them immense stress, saying they could not sleep and eat as they were devastated that their son’s life would forever be tarnished.

“Hindi ho kami makatulog, hindi kami makakain kasi anak namin ’yung involved tsaka nag-viral na eh…Masisira na ’yung buhay ng anak ko. For any parent ba, ganun ba gusto niyo mangyari sa anak niyo?” Mrs. Sanvicente said.

Sanvicente’s father, Joel, said they hired a lawyer because they could not decide on their next move as they also panicked.

Danao welcomed Sanvicente’s decision to surrender, saying it is up to the Mandaluyong City prosecutor’s office to decide on the complaints filed against the suspect.

The Mandaluyong police had filed charges of frustrated murder and abandonment of one’s victim under Article 275 of the Revised Penal Code against Sanvicente.

“We do not want to further comment because it might prejudice the outcome of the case,” Danao said.

Floralde vowed to pursue the cases filed against Sanvicente, saying he is still suffering from his injuries.

“Itutuloy ko po ‘yung kaso,” he said in an interview on dzBB.

Floralde said he is still experiencing pain in his chest. He will undergo another medical examination to determine if he has internal bleeding.