Duterte’s reward leads to vice mayor’s hit-and-run truck

DAVAO ORIENTAL, Philippines – A P500,000-reward offered by former president Rodrigo Duterte in exchange for information about a hit-and-run case in Davao City led to a pick-up truck of a vice mayor in Davao Oriental.

On Tuesday night, January 31, Vice Mayor John Paul Lampig of Boston town, Davao Oriental surrendered his driver, Jester Yucosing, to the Davao City police. 

The town vice mayor said the vehicle, a white Toyota Hilux-Conquest with MV-File no. 1101-102646, was registered under his name.

Lampig’s move came as a witness came forward and provided authorities with information about the vehicle’s number, and to collect the reward, police said.

On January 29, Duterte announced he would reward anyone with information that would lead to the identification of the vehicle that killed Anna Mae Talili in an accident along MacArthur Highway in Matina, Davao City, on January 26.

Talili was a 21-year-old student who worked as a cashier at Davao City’s Matina Town Square. 

Talili and her boyfriend were riding a motorcycle in tandem when Lampig’s vehicle hit them by accident.

Police said Talili’s companion also suffered serious injuries, and is receiving treatment in a hospital in Davao City.

Davao regional police spokesperson Major Eudisan Gultiano said Lampig was not in the vehicle at the time of the accident.

“The vice mayor is not involved in it. We have already validated that. The vice mayor told us that his personal driver has a serious illness,” Gultiano said. 

Police, however, said they have questions about why it took days before Yucosing surrendered.

Gultiano said Duterte’s reward offer helped in identifying the  vehicle and the surrender of the driver. – Rappler.com