CITY OF MALOLOS—Mayor Christian Natividad removed from his job a city government nurse for using the city ambulance for personal and family function and which had hit a 14-year old boy while crossing a road in Calumpit town on Saturday.
Natividad has also ordered the filing of charges of malversation, Art. 217 of the Revised Penal Code (RPC) and Usurpation of Official Functions (Art. 177 of the RPC) including civil and administrative charges against Noel Araneta, 31, a nurse assigned at the City Health Office.
Allan Santos, 35, driver of the ambulance from Barangay Mojon, City of Malolos was charged with reckless Imprudence resulting in serious physical injuries.
Based on an investigation, Natividad found an ambulance unit of the city health office was used by Araneta for a family function and allowed Santos to drive the vehicle. The family was allegedly bound for an outing in a resort. While travelling at around 5:30 pm along Calumpit-Pulilan road in Barangay Pungo, Calumpit, it hit pedestrian Shannel Mariano, 14, from Dampol 1st, Pulilan town.
Quoting a witness, City of Malolos police report said a vehicle in front of the ambulance made a full stop in the pedestrian when all of a sudden, the driver of the ambulance changed lanes and accelerated the engine of the vehicle and hit the victim who was then crossing the road.
The young victim is now in critical condition at the Bulacan Medical Center.
According to Natividad, Araneta took the ambulance home on Friday for unknown reasons.
Araneta and Santos are now detained at Calumpit municipal jail for the said charges.
The mayor is also investigating other personnel in the city health office who have committed negligence over the incident. “They will also face corresponding charges,” he told the media on Tuesday.
Let the incident serve as a warning to all the employees of the city health office, Natividad warned.
