City prosecutor to review evidence in Mancera’s death

By Paulo DS. Papa

THE City Prosecutor’s Office here will re-evaluate the documents and other evidence submitted by the Naga City Police Office in connection with the death of a public school teacher who was struck by a car while crossing a pedestrian lane on Sept. 20.

City Prosecutor’s Office spokesperson Fiscal Virgilio Balane Jr. said the evidence submitted to the office will undergo review to determine the appropriate action in the case involving Grace Abejoro, 32, a businesswoman from Zone 7, Barangay San Roque, Camaligan, Camarines Sur.

Police identified Abejoro as the driver of the sedan that struck Jao Francis Mancera, 31, of Barangay San Felipe, Naga City, while he was crossing a pedestrian lane along M.T. Villanueva Avenue in Barangay Peñafrancia early morning on Sept. 20, the feast of Our Lady of Peñafrancia.

Balane said the police documents indicated that the vehicle involved had expired registration documents. He said this circumstance would be considered together with the other evidence in determining the appropriate legal action.

Abejoro is facing a complaint for reckless imprudence resulting in homicide, Balane said, adding that the case would undergo the required prosecutorial procedures.

He said the re-evaluation would determine whether the evidence supports the filing or further processing of the case before it is resolved in court.

Meanwhile, Sulpicio Alferez III, principal of Camarines Sur National High School, said the school is closely monitoring developments in the case involving Mancera, one of its teachers.

Mancera handled five classes, including an advisory class, before his death.

Alferez said the affected classes were temporarily handled with the assistance of the school's guidance counsellors as the school worked to address the students' emotional and academic needs following the incident.

He said the school would continue monitoring the students and making appropriate adjustments while arrangements are being made for their regular classroom instruction.

Alferez also said the school's teaching and non-teaching personnel would continue to monitor developments in the case.