Hunt on for Caloocan traffic chief’s killer

The tricycle operator who was seen driving a van that ran over Caloocan City North’s public safety and traffic management office chief is now the object of a massive police manhunt.

Police Officer 3 Noli Alvis, of the Caloocan City police North Extension Office, said a 24-hour hot pursuit operation was launched for the immediate arrest of Eulogio Arellano, a resident of Deparo, also in Caloocan City North.

“The full force of the city police North Extension Office is now conducting a 24-hour manhunt for the arrest of the suspect,” Alvis told The STAR.

Alvis said that Arellano, a former bodyguard of Rep. Oscar Malapitan and now employed at the marketing division of the North City Hall, reportedly expressed yesterday his intention to surrender.

“We have reports that Arellano had sent surrender feelers to an unnamed local official but we (have) yet to confirm it,” Alvis said.

Eufemio Rienoso Jr., 49, chief of the Caloocan City North’s Reformed Department of Public Safety and Traffic Management, was manning traffic when he was run over by a blue Besta van (WHU-762), driven by Arellano at around 10 a.m. on Deparo Road Wednesday.

“The victim went directly under the van and the driver stopped, reversed his vehicle to run him over again, witnesses claimed,” Alvis said.

The suspect drove away but in haste, his van skidded on the soft shoulder of the road, where it got stuck. He fled on foot and fired a shot in the air to scare away the more than 20 traffic personnel who were chasing him.

“Investigation showed that Arellano got mad at Rienoso for impounding one of his tricycles in a previous operation against unregistered vehicles. Rienoso turned down the suspect’s request for settlement,” Alvis said.   – Pete Laude, Jerry Botial