Enrile denied road mishap reports involving his staff in Pampanga: 1 dead

By Jason de Asis

SENATE OFFICE, Manila, January 18, 2011-The Office of Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile denies media reports involving his driver staff in a vehicular accident which resulted to death by a man in Pampanga last Jan. 14.

Yvonne Caunan, Enrile’s media officer said that the alleged driver in the incident identified as Anthony Obligado is not Enrile’s staff nor even served as a driver in any of the Senate President’s convoy.

“Obligado is not in the list of the Senate President’s official employees as well as his personal staff,” Caunan said, contrary to the report that the Senate President Enrile’s convoy was nowhere near Pampanga, scene of the accident, last Friday, adding that the Senate President instructed for investigation of the report to find out the truth.

Earlier, ABS-CBN news report over the weekend said a man who was identified as Carlos Angeles was killed in Pampanga last Friday after he was hit by a vehicle allegedly part of Enrile’s convoy where the latter was killed in the accident.

“Enrile has directed the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Jose Balajadia to conduct investigation on the reported vehicular accident to look into the possibility that the driver involved could have misrepresented himself as a member of Enrile’s staff,” Yvone said.

ABS-CBN reported that the victim’s widow Lorna Angeles claimed that she was visited by other members of Enrile’s staff the following day and they offered P150,000 as settlement for her husband’s death. (Jason de Asis)