Military man kills wife on New Year's eve

A military man killed his wife on New Year’s eve before shooting himself following a dispute because of the man’s jealousy.

Sergeant Larry Rutaquio, 48, of the Philippine Army, was still in critical condition at the V. Luna Hospital in Quezon City as of early afternoon yesterday, said Superintendent Ferdinand Ampil, commander of the Quezon City Police District-Station 10.

Rutaquio shot himself in the head using a .45 caliber pistol that he also used in killing his wife.

Rutaquio’s wife Roquisa, 39, was dead on arrival at the same hospital because of the gunshot wound she sustained in the torso, Ampil said.

Ampil said the incident happened at 1:10 p.m. yesterday just as the wife was manning her fruit stall near the V. Luna Hospital in Barangay Pinyahan.

Senior Inspector Benjamin Gabriel, investigation chief of the QCPD-Station 10, said that based on accounts of witnesses, the couple had been fighting for several days prior to the killing.

Citing initial investigation, Gabriel said Rutaquio was reportedly suspicious about the wife’s alleged extra-marital affair.

“Some of the witnesses were saying the suspect was jealous over an alleged textmate of his wife,” he said.   – Reinir Padua