PNP: No case yet vs ‘drunk driving’ Ateneo player

PHOTOS grabbed from John Apacible’s Facebook account which has since been taken down after his video went viral.

THE POLICE are still waiting for the man who accused Ateneo de Manila University (AdMU) basketball player John Apacible of kicking his car to formally file charges against him.

In a video which went viral on Sunday, an apparently drunk Apacible—a member of the Ateneo Blue Eagles—hurled invectives at an unseen man believed to be taking the video, repeatedly challenging him to a fight while brandishing a “Councilor” vanity plate to prove his claim that he was a councilor.

Supt. Limuel Obon, commander of the Quezon City Police District’s Kamuning station, said Tuesday that the altercation between Apacible and Ryan Bautista—a 37-year-old businessman from Malabon City—happened at 12:10 a.m. Sunday on Timog near Quezon Avenue in Quezon City.

Bautista later went to the police station to file a complaint for malicious mischief against the AdMU player, saying his Honda car sustained dents after Apacible repeatedly kicked it.

Obon said Bautista promised to return to file a formal case against Apacible.

According to the police official, the altercation started when Bautista confronted Apacible for manhandling a delivery van driver.

Obon said two of his men on patrol, SPO1 Jaime Morato and PO1 Randel Candelaria, chanced upon them and tried to intervene.

The two policemen advised Apacible and Bautista to come with them to the police station to settle their argument but the Ateneo player made an excuse to get something from his black Ford (ACA-7111). However, he then sped off, Obon told the Inquirer.

Under the Anti-Drunk and Drugged Driving Act, a law enforcement officer should conduct on the spot a sobriety test on a driver suspected to be drunk or drugged.

Obon said the Special Inspectorate and Legal Office would conduct an investigation to determine if there were any lapses on the part of the responding policemen who were also asked to submit a written explanation.

Asked to respond to criticisms about the police’s failure to take action on the incident, Philippine National Police spokesperson Chief Supt. Wilben Mayor acknowledged that while the “ideal situation” would be for law enforcers to arrest suspected criminal perpetrators, they would wait for an explanation from the Quezon City police.

“We do not judge based on video, as technology today can be manipulated,” Mayor said. “Let us allow those on the ground and witnesses to give their statements,” he added as he called on them to come forward.

The Ateneo University Athletics Office earlier said in a statement that Apacible “deeply regrets his reprehensible behavior and sincerely apologizes to all parties involved.”

It also stressed that the school would deal with the “regrettable incident appropriately and swiftly.” -Erika Sauler, Jaymee T. Gamil