Suspect in traffic enforcer slay admitted losing his cool at victim –police

The suspect in the killing of a traffic enforcer in Quezon City last week has admitted to police investigators that he lost his cool at his victim during an argument, a police official said Tuesday.

"Ang sabi niya napikon lang talaga siya.  Ito yung problema ng biglang init ng ulo na pagsisisihan habambuhay," Quezon City Police District (QCPD) acting director Senior Supt Guillermo Lorenzo Eleazar said in a press conference.

The suspect, Geronimo Iquin Jr. alias Jhun, 46, was brought to Camp Crame Tuesday after he was arrested in Aparri, Cagayan, on Monday. He was a mechanic who was hired to repair a truck when the incident happened on September 30.

The confrontation started when the victim, Ernesto Paras Jr., removed the license plate of Iquin's Honda Civic, which at that time was double parked on La Salle Street near corner Ermin Garcia Street.

The suspect shot Paras in the different parts of his body and even ran over his leg as he sped away. He admitted to the police that he threw the .38 caliber paltik he used to kill the victim at the Pasig River.

Chief Supt. Oscar Albayalde, National Capital Region Police Office acting director, said the Honda Civic used by the suspect was not even his as it was sent to him for repair.

"The Honda Civic na ginamit ay hindi sa kanya,  iyon ay pinapa-repair din sa kanya ng kapatid ng isang pulis na si PO3 Peter Jon Agdamar. Iyong kapatid niya, kilala ang mekaniko at siya ang nagsabi sa tunay na pangalan at address ng suspek," he said.

Albayalde said police investigators used the bits of information they received to arrest the suspect.

"That is considered a hot pursuit operation. Lahat ng information na nakukuha ay dinevelop ng kapulisan at namonitor nga siya hanggang sa Aparri," he said.

Rosalie Mabasa Paras, widow of the victim, was at Camp Crame when the suspect was brought there.

"Galit, sobrang galit ako.  Hindi ko alam kung ano ang pwedeng magawa ko sa kanya pag nakita ko ho siya," she told reporters before the start of the press conference.

However, she expressed relief that the suspect has been arrested.

"Kahit papaano bago po siya maibiling  sa Linggo nahuli na yung tao, nakuha na yung suspect. Mabibigyan na ng katarungan yung pagkamatay ng asawa ko," she said.

Paras said they have four children, ages 15, 14, 12 and two years old.

"Hindi pa alam kung paano mag uumpisa. Tatlo pa yung nag-aaral na anak ko, yung two-year old ko magbibirthday pa dapat sa October 11," she said.

When the suspect was brought near Paras, the woman hit Iquin several times.

Paras later told reporters she was not able to control her emotions when Iquin told her that her husband tried to extort money from him. He also said the victim reached for a bladed weapon to attack him.

“Doon ako nagalit nung sinabi niyang bubunot daw kasi ng balisong para unahan siya, eh wala ngang balisong e kasi kung merong yun andun yun sa gamit na naiwan niya. Ginagawa niya pang sinungaling yung asawa ko, uunahan daw siya at bumubunot daw ng balisong na hindi naman talaga at nagpapaareglo daw yung asawa ko at nagpapabayad,” she said.

When Iquin was being brought out of the room, the relatives of the victim punched him. Police officials restrained the relatives who were able to give the suspect a few blows.

Paras justified the act of her relatives, saying what they did to Iquin was nothing compared to what he did to her husband.

“Kulang pa nga po yun,” she said.

“Hindi ko talaga sukat matanggap na ganun ang ginawa sa asawa ko. Sana nagsuntukan na lang sila pero bakit kailangan niyang patayin tapos yung manner ng pagpatay talagang hindi siya bubuhayin e,” she added.

Murder charges will be filed against Iquin.

Paras said they will pursue the case. “Itutuloy namin yung kaso, hindi kami magpapaareglo,” she said. —KBK, GMA News