Driver in Pampanga vehicular accident not Enrile staff member, says OSP

The Office of Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile clarified media reports today that a member of its staff was involved in a vehicular accident that killed a man in Pampanga last Jan. 14.

Yvonne Caunan, Enrile's media officer, said that the alleged driver in the incident, indentified as Anthony Obligado, is not a member of Enrile's staff nor has he served as a driver in any of the Senate President's convoy.

"There is no Anthony Obligado in the list of the Senate President's official employees as well as his personal staff," Caunan said. "Moreover, contrary to the report, Senate President Enrile's convoy was nowhere near Pampanga, scene of the accident, last Friday".

"But upon the instructions of the Senate President, we are still having this report investigated to find out what really happened," Caunan added.

An ABS-CBN news report over the weekend said a man, identified as Carlos Angeles, was killed in Pampanga last Friday after he was hit by a vehicle, which was allegedly part of Enrile's convoy. Angeles was instantly killed.

Caunan said that Enrile has directed Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Jose Balajadia to investigate the reported vehicular accident and look into the possibility that the driver involved could have misrepresented himself as a member of Enrile's staff.

According to the ABS-CBN report, the victim's widow, Lorna Angeles, claimed that she was visited by other members of Enrile's staff the following day. She said they offered P150,000 as settlement for her husband's death.