Neda official bends law to free self of blame in accident

IN A terrible accident that happened on July 17, 2012, I became aware of how bureaucrats in our government think they can turn the law upside down.

I was riding my motorcycle on the outbound lane of Leonard Wood Road toward Pacdal Circle (Baguio City) when I noticed a black Adventure vehicle slowing down on the inbound lane, just before the Neda compound entrance, obviously getting ready to make a left turn into the Neda compound. The driver and passenger clearly saw me approaching and appeared to be waiting for me to pass before making a left turn.

To my shock I saw the driver hurry up and make the turn in front of me with total disregard for me on a bike. In an instant of horror I realized that the Adventure had “gunned” its motor and blocked my route. I had to immediately decide whether to swerve hard left into oncoming traffic and face certain death or lay the bike down and crash into the SUV. If I tried to speed up, the Adventure would have smashed me from the side and I would not survive. In a fraction of a second I decided on trying to lay the bike down and avoid death, resulting in my bike crashing onto the right front quarter panel of the Adventure.

With the bike on top of me and me suffering broken ribs, the driver and passenger tried to move the Adventure farther into the Neda compound but only succeeded in hitting the gutter and grass at a 45-degree angle to the driveway that they totally misjudged in their hurried effort to turn. The passenger, one Leonardo N. Quitos Jr., regional director of Neda, and his driver frantically tried to position the vehicle in a manner that looked as if they had already entered the Neda compound to minimize their own guilty negligence. Only some kind onlookers helped get the bike off me.

With Quitos’ driver’s wanton disregard for traffic rules and total lack of compassion in causing an accident, this public official had the audacity to file false and misleading statements in the prosecutor’s office, resulting in me facing charges of “damage to property” among other charges. I was shocked and dismayed upon learning this terrible attempt to put the law upside down while I was facing P800,000 in hospital bills and bike damages.

When the prosecutor was asked to reconsider based on evidence and fact, the charges were dropped and a refiling was done charging the Neda driver with negligence instead. It is a shame that the same charges are not filed against Quitos as he clearly dictated to and had power and authority over his driver’s actions. Instead, Quitos lied and tried trickery to get the prosecutor’s office to twist the law and tried to put the blame on me, the injured party in this accident! His power at Neda almost succeeded in causing me even more harm and damages. Shame on him!

—TONY PERLAS,

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