By Jennifer P. Rendon
The New Lucena Municipal Police Station confirmed that it released former Mayor Salvador Divinagracia from detention following a settlement with the family of the victim in a fatal hit-and-run incident.
The 67-year-old former local chief executive of Calinog, Iloilo was earlier arrested following a hit-and-run incident that killed a 19-year-old motorcycle rider on the evening of March 15.
Lt. Johnrey Laruan, New Lucena police chief, said Divinagracia was released from police custody at 6 p.m. on March 16 after his reglementary period had lapsed.
Under Philippine law, a person arrested without a warrant must be delivered to the proper judicial authority within prescribed periods, typically 12 to 36 hours depending on the severity of the offense, after which the detainee must be released if no charges have been formally filed.
Laruan also pointed out that Divinagracia reached an amicable settlement with the family of 19-year-old Rhudolf, the victim of the hit-and-run incident.
He added that they were not privy to whether there was monetary consideration involved in the settlement.
However, reports said that Divinagracia paid PHP 350,000 to settle the case.
Divinagracia, a resident of Poblacion Ilaya, Calinog, Iloilo, was intercepted at Barangay Ungka, Pavia, Iloilo at around 10:30 p.m. on Sunday.
Members of the Regional Mobile Force Battalion 6 and Iloilo City Police Station 3 conducted the pursuit operation after they were alerted following a call from Emergency 911 about a vehicle involved in a road crash.
Police were not aware at the time that Divinagracia was behind the wheel of his black Ford Raptor pickup truck.
According to police reports, the former mayor’s vehicle collided with a Rusi 125 motorcycle driven by Rhudolf at Barangay Pasil, New Lucena, Iloilo.
The victim, a resident of Purok IV, Barangay Damires, New Lucena, was coming from Iloilo City and was on his way home at around 9:50 p.m. when the incident happened.
CCTV footage showed that Rhudolf may have prematurely executed a left turn and encroached on the pickup truck’s lane.
The victim sustained a head injury.
He was rushed to New Lucena Polytechnic Hospital but was declared dead at 10:40 p.m.
Instead of stopping, Divinagracia continued to speed away.
He even dragged the motorcycle for three kilometers from the point of impact.
The motorcycle was later recovered at Barangay Calabua, Leganes.
