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2 yrs jail term after decade of litigation
By J.Lo
CHIT ESTELLA DURING HAPPY DAYS
"Finally, long-overdue decision brings two drivers and their bus companies to justice… Chit can finally rest in peace," late Chit Estella's husband, retired University of the Philippines (UP) professor Roland Simbulan said Quezon City court has sentenced two bus drivers to two years in prison over road crash that claimed life of veteran journalist Chit Estella in 2011 , decision that ends over decade of waiting for justice for her family and colleagues.
In 2011, victim Estella was on her way to dinner with friends at Ayala Technohub and was traversing Commonwealth Avenue when Ancheta, who drove Nova bus, hit the taxi she was riding on the right side. This caused taxi to swerve in the path of driver Espinosa, of Universal Guiding Star bus, rammed taxi's rear end, causing Estella's demise.
Espinosa was "driving his bus at fast pace," the court decision noted, led him to slam into taxi vehicle that caused Estella's fatal head injuries.
Judge Ralph Lee of Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 83 found Daniel Espinosa and Victor Ancheta guilty beyond reasonable doubt of reckless imprudence resulting in damage to property with homicide, according to nine-page decision dated April 22.
Noting drivers' poor financial standing, court ordered registered owners of Universal Guiding Star Bus Line Corp. and Nova Auto Transport Bus Corporation to pay over P7.46 million in moral and exemplary damages to the family of Estella, also known as Lourdes Estella-Simbulan.
Both bus drivers "had the last clear chance to avoid collision had they exercised reasonable care and precaution in driving their respective buses," decision said.
Ruling also noted Estella's "immense contributions... as one of the country's premier academicians and journalists."
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Estella's death spurred enforcement of road safety laws in the country, particularly Republic Act 10916, or Road Speed Limiter Act of 2016, aims to prevent road crashes by installing speed limiters in vehicles.
Over a year after her death, Quezon City government also installed Commonwealth Road Safety Marker on sidewalk near Ayala TechnoHub in her honor.
Estella led illustrious career both in media and academe.
During early years of Martial Law regime, Estella was one of many student journalists writing for Philippine Collegian who took strong editorial stance against Marcos dictatorship. Estella penned stories exposing human rights abuses, corruption and administration wrongdoing, among others.
In her professional career, Estella is perhaps best known for having served as editor-in-chief of Pinoy Times, Filipino-language tabloid notable for its critical coverage of then-President Joseph Estrada. Before that, she spent short stints as editor at the Philippine Daily Inquirer and Manila Times.
Estella is also one of many key figures whose name is carved into remembrance walls of Bantayog ng mga Bayani. On its website, Bantayog ng mga Bayani described Estella in the eyes of her colleagues as "compassionate, but principled and straight-as-an-arrow journalist, who chose hard choices because it was what it meant to be committed to truth."
Later, the veteran journalist went on to teach at the University of the Philippines College of Mass Communication (CMC) for decade before her untimely death, training future generations of media practitioners.
Today, ring of Narra and Fire trees that were planted in front of UP CMC Film Center during her memorial service 13 years ago remain standing.
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