A young Catholic priest in the northern Philippine town of Solano in Nueva Vizcaya province is in hot water for ramming through a police checkpoint over the weekend.

Police hunted Father Loubert Agduyeng, assistant parish priest of Solano, after he drove his pick-up truck through a police barricade in the middle of the night, hitting a police officer who was knocked several metres.

A witness told police investigators that instead of checking on the condition of the policeman, the vehicle sped away.

Policemen went after the vehicle that was discovered inside the compound of the parish church. Chief Inspector Alberto Bagarra, Solano town’s police chief, said it took some two hours of negotiations before Father Agduyeng surrendered.

The priest was reportedly on his way back to his parish after attending the 16th anniversary of Catholic-run Radio Veritas in nearby Bayombong town. His companions said the priest might have one too many drinks during the party.

Father Agduyeng refused to issue any statement on the incident but promised to pay for the expenses for the hospitalization of the injured policeman.
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