By Nikki Careen Palacios
The College of Mass Communication led a “run for road safety” along Commonwealth Avenue Tuesday, the 40th day after the death of journalism professor Lourdes “Chit” Estella-Simbulan in a bus-car collision.
Running priest Robert Reyes led the run from CMC to Tandong Sora before making a U-turn to the UP-Ayalaland Technohub, the site where Simbulan died. Reyes led prayers at the site.
In his short sermon, he said, “There is no such thing as a killer highway, only killer drivers and enforcers.”
Around 20 people, mostly Simbulan’s family, former students, faculty colleagues and friends, joined the run and called for justice for the journalist professor.
After the run, Simbulan’s ashes were brought to CMC by her husband, Roland Simbulan, for a “last visit.” A short prayer was said in her room at the journalism department.
Mr. Simbulan, joined by the journalism professors, Dean Roland Tolentino and College Secretary Patrick Campos, later planted a tree for his wife near the now-closed parking entrance of the CMC.
Simbulan was supposed to meet her high school friends at Technohub when the taxi she was riding was rammed by a speeding Universal Guiding Star bus on May 13. The bus driver, Daniel Espinosa, is facing homicide charges.
Meanwhile, Mr. Simbulan expressed his frustration over the claims of Universal Guiding Star’s legal counsel, Salvador Panelo. Mr. Simbulan said Panelo claimed the company had extended an apology, which the Simbulan family had accepted.
“It’s not true. They never called us, they never really talked to us to apologize,” he said in an interview before the run. “We will not accept their apology. There has to be justice.” With reports from Maria Jorica Pamintuan
