Witness: 2 buses rammed taxi carrying Chit Estella

A new witness has come forward claiming two passenger buses rammed into the taxi carrying veteran journalist Lourdes “Chit" Estella-Simbulan, resulting in her death last May 13, according to an exclusive report on GMA News’ “24 Oras" on Tuesday. The witness — only identified as “Randy" — said police should not only investigate Daniel Espinosa, the driver of the Universal Guiding Star bus blamed for Simbulan’s death. The witness said authorities should also look into the involvement of the driver of Nova Bus 080 who he said first hit the ill-fated taxi. Espinosa had earlier alleged that Nova Bus 080 first rammed the rear of the taxi along the expansive Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City before he hit the vehicle.

The witness, himself a bus driver, said he saw Nova Bus 080 plying along EDSA on the night of the accident. “Bumiyahe pa yun. Bumiyahe pa ng Baclaran... Sinabihan ko, ‘Pare, ‘wag ka nang tumuloy kasi inaabangan ka [ng otoridad] sa Philcoa.’ Sabi naman nung driver, ‘Wala yun. Di ko naman kasalanan yun,’" Randy said. The witness said he could vividly remember the crack in the front portion of Nova Bus 080. “Nakita kong may bangga ang isang bahagi nito." He hastened to add, “Nung nakita ko kinabukasan wala nang sira yung bus. Ginawa na siguro." GMA News tried to get an official statement from Nova Bus company, but the firm has yet to issue one. Simbulan, also a UP professor, was on her way to UP-Ayala Land TechnoHub in Quezon City when she was killed. — Jesse Edep/KBK, GMA News