Sinampahan na ng Office of the Provincial Prosecutor ng kasong Reckless Imprudence Resulting in Homicide si Richard Gutierrez, kaugnay sa pagkamatay ng kanyang personal assistant na si Nomar Pardo nang maaksidente ang sports car na minamaneho ng aktor noong ika-22 ng Mayo sa Silang, Cavite.
Iaakyat na sa municipal trial court ang nasabing kaso na halos dalawang buwan ding inimbestigahan mula nang magsampa ng reklamo si Lorayne Pardo, biyuda ni Nomar, noong ika-23 ng Hulyo. (Click here to read story.)
Nanguna ang chief provincial prosecutor na si Emmanuel Velasco sa pagsasampa ng kaso sa hukuman, matapos makakita ng probable cause ang mga prosecutors na sina Larry Cabero, Alexander Leveriza and Rosa Elmina Villarin, sa sinasabi umanong pananagutan ng aktor sa pagkamatay ng kanyang PA.
Ayon sa charge sheet, "overspeeding" ang itinuturong dahilan ng pagkakabangga ng sports car ni Richard sa isang poste ng PLDT at tatlong puno ng niyog sa Sta. Rosa-Tagaytay Road.
Nakasaad sa charge sheet, "[Gutierrez], being the driver, in-control and in-charge of a Nissan GT-R sedan... willfully, unlawfully and feloniously managed without due regard to traffic laws... by driving the said motor vehicle at speeds grossly in excess of the limits allowed by law [bumped] a Meralco concrete post and three coconut trees with tremendous impact causing multiple injuries to... Nomar Pardo y Estes which resulted to the latter's untimely death to the damage and prejudice of his heirs."
PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION. Bago natapos ang charge sheet, dumaan muna ang kaso sa series of preliminary investigations.
Hindi dumalo si Richard sa unang preliminary conference, noong ika-14 ng Agosto, kung saan dapat niyang ipasa ang kanyang counter affidavit. Tanging ang lawyer niyang si Atty. Sheryll Mallari ang dumalo sa pagdinig. (Click here to read story.)
Noong ika-28 naman ng Agosto ay ipinasa ni Atty. Mallari ang counter affidavit ng aktor, na hindi uli nakadalo kaya't hindi nito opisyal na nai-affirm ang nasabing dokumento.
Sa sumunod na pagdinig noong ika-4 ng Setyembre, 'saka lamang nakasipot si Richard sa prosecutor's office. Dito rin nakapagsumite si Lorayne ng kanyang Letter of Reply. Naging daan din ang nasabing hearing upang kausapin ni Chief Prosecutor Velasco ang dalawang kampo para magkasundo sa isang "amicable settlement." Nag-isyu rin si Velasco ng gag order sa dalawang panig para "makapag-usap" sila nang hindi "magsasalitaan sa press." (Click here to read related story.)
Matapos ang labinlimang araw, muli na namang nagkaroon ng hearing, kung saan ipinaabot ng pamilya Pardo ang kanilang desisyon na hindi makipag-settle, at ipinasa rin ni Richard ang kanyang rejoinder affidavit, na pinirmahan niya sa Quezon City Prosecutor's Office. (Click here to read related story.)
"THE RESPONDENT WAS RECKLESS AND NEGLIGENT." Sa mga naunang report dito sa PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal), dahil sa lakas ng pagkakabangga ng sports car na minamaneho ni Richard, tumilapon mula sa likod na salamin ng kotse ang katawan ni Nomar, na nakaupo sa back seat. Nakaligtas ang aktor, na siyang may hawak ng manibela, pati na rin ang katabi niyang bodyguard.
Agad daw lumabas ng sasakyan ang dalawa upang hanapin ang katawan ni Nomar, ngunit hindi nila ito nakita sa sobrang dilim. Ala-una ng madaling araw naganap ang aksidente. Pagdaan ng van ng GMA-7 ay dinala ang dalawa sa ospital.
Matapos ang halos isang oras, 'saka lamang nakita ang katawan ni Nomar, na sampung metro ang layo mula sa kinaroroonan ng sports car ni Richard, at nadala sa ospital. Dead on arrival ang kinahantungan.
Sa mga pahayag ng mga Gutierrez sa iba't ibang programa sa telebisyon, pinabulaanan nila na nag-overspeeding si Richard kaya nangyari ang aksidente. (Click here to read story.)
Ngunit ayon sa mga prosecutor, "But in this case, evidence clearly showed that the respondent did not exercise proper prudence and slow down as he approached the curve way. The distance of the car from the point of impact, the broken trees, and broken Meralco post all point to the fact that the respondent was reckless and negligent while driving that night."
They are everywhere talaga just to bully people who dont share your views. Okay lang if they are expressing an opinion pero madalas they hit anyone below the belt.Weeks ago - at any given time as in talagang at any given time - there were 2 members that would start posting nasty and stupid things whenever I said something about Willie. A month ago naman before this Pardo case went to the prosecutors office - I had 3 members din who just showed up and said stuff na below the belt, etc not about the articles but about me...I think their main objective is to shut us up... Pero guess what marami din namang talagang mabait ant malinis ang puso dito and when those things happen - binubuko nila ang members with the Sybil personalities multiple... Okay lang to change your names if thats what you want and need pero to use it to bully people - hindi tama iyon. Sometimes naisip ko na rin na magpalit ng username para hindi maging target - pero at the end of the day - bahala sila ku
hay..
Gutierrez family, it's time to step down from your self-erected pedestal. You are no better than any of us ordinary. You don't walk on water. In reality, we're probably better human beings than you are.
Richard Gutierrez, be a man and face your issues. You could have done the right thing from the very beginning, but you blew it, dude!!! Shame on you and your mother!!!
I also want to remind the Gutierrez family that Money is NOT everything!!!
I am really amazed....
I go-ogl-e sea-rched the prhase:
defense, passenger failed to wear seatbelt, tort law: cases and materials
and chose the go-og-le books one. ernest weinrib.page 298 to 301. Suffice it to say, I am not that awake yet when I read it, or reading and digesting breakfast, not a good combination.
Please God, may the courts bear in mind when determining the sentence, which is appropriate, is the fact that it is important to the courts to drive home the messages as to the dangers that can result from dangerous driving on the road.
May the trial judge take into account the public interest and a judge's duty to maintain public confidence in the administration of justice.
Richard is GUILTY of reckleck driving that caused death of an individual. The offense is punishable by imprisonment, confiscation of license and liability to pay monetary damages to the family of the deceased.
Do those words sound familiar, pepsters? I'm sure those of us who'd read all the PEP articles about this case from the beginning would remember those words.
Anevil and Richard, whether you like it or not, YOU WILL PAY!!!