Princess Siu'ilikutapu forgives Delgado [1]
Saturday, July 15, 2006 - 18:24. Updated on Friday, October 17, 2014 - 10:54.
Princess Siu'ilikutapu, the prince's older sister, told The Associated Press that the royal family was "extending forgiveness and love toward the young lady who caused the tragedy."
"We believe in forgiveness," she said, citing her Christian faith. "We do not want any revenge or anything like this."
The royal family, however, does not plan to ask San Mateo County authorities to drop charges against Delgado, Siu'ilikutapu said.
"Forgiveness does not close one's eye to justice," Siu'ilikutapu said. "No one is above the law."
Siu'ilikutapu spoke to reporters Friday morning at Tonga's royal residence in Hillsborough, about 15 miles south of San Francisco.
Edith Delgado, 18, of Redwood City faces three counts of vehicular manslaughter in the July 5 deaths of Prince Tu'ipelehake, his wife, Princess Kaimana, and the couple's driver, Vinisia Hefa.
Authorities said Delgado was racing her Ford Mustang with another vehicle on Highway 101 in Menlo Park when she sideswiped the sport utility vehicle carrying the royal couple. The vehicle rolled several times, killing all three.
Delgado, who was not hurt in the collision, is being held on a $3 million bond. A judge on Thursday denied a request to reduce her bail to $100,000, despite testimony by nine friends and family members on her behalf.
The prince and princess had traveled to San Francisco to discuss political reforms in the South Pacific island nation with Tongans in the Bay Area.
On Tuesday, their bodies will be transported back to Tonga for burial on July 21 in the ancient capital city of Mu'a, said Consul General David Kolo.