Danilo Nieres | CDN Digital file photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Charges have been filed against job-order employee, who was the driver of the mini dump truck that was involved in a fatal accident in Boljoon town last July 19 where 9 individuals mostly elementary students were killed.
Police Lieutenant Rolando Pogoy, Boljoon Police chief, said that a complaint had been filed at the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor in Cebu City against the truck driver, Danilo Nieres, on Monday, July 22, or three days after the tragic accident happened.
Nieres, who drove the ill-fated dump truck carrying the students, teachers and guardians, is facing a complaint of reckless imprudence resulting to multiple homicide and multiple physical injuries.
Pogoy said the families of the nine deceased victims, as well as the 22 injured victims, opted to press charges after the incident.
Read more: Truck driver apologizes for Boljoon accident, resigns future to fate
Nieres is currently detained in the Boljoon Police Station but if his case will proceed to court, he will be transferred to the Argao District Jail where he will be detained while the case will be heard.
In earlier statements to CDN Digital, Nieres said that he will accept the charges against him as he said the incident was an accident.
““Mangayo lang unya kog pasaylo sa mga naangol. Wala gyod to tuyoa. Aksidente ra to tanan. ((I am asking forgiveness to all the casualties. I did not mean it to happen. It was an accident),” he said.
Nieres hails from Negros Oriental and left two young sons there.
He has worked for seven years in Manila as a truck driver then worked as a job-order employee for Boljoon town in the past year.
Read more: Boljoon accident takes nine lives, leaves shattered dreams in its wake
He said that the town’s mini dump truck was repaired multiple times for brake problems, but he checked the truck before going to fetch the children, teachers, and parents from the mountain barangays.
Yet, he lost control of the truck upon going downhill. The truck eventually turned upside down crushing some of the passengers who died.The medical tests ruled out that Nieres was drunk during the incident as he proved negative to alcohol. /dbs