Metroline

Motorbike slams into MMDA barrier; 1 dead, 1 hurt

A motorcycle driver died while his passenger was injured after their vehicle crashed into a concrete barrier as they took a U-turn along EDSA in Balintawak, Quezon City early morning yesterday.

Genesis Flores Jr. sustained fatal injuries after his vehicle hit a concrete barrier of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority.

Traffic investigator SPO1 Crisaldo Nimenzo said Flores was declared dead on arrival at the Quezon City General Hospital. Flores’ companion, identified only as Odimer, was brought to the same hospital for treatment of minor injuries and was also brought to the same hospital.

Odimer said Flores was already drunk as he drove his scooter (UJ4855). When the motorcycle crashed into the concrete barrier, both Flores and Odimer were thrown from the motorcycle. Bystanders rushed them to the hospital.

According to Nimenzo, Flores’ enraged family would not give them more information and wanted the police to stop the investigation. – Reinir Padua

Soldier dies a day after shooting wife, self

A soldier who killed his wife in a fit of jealousy then shot himself in the head on New Year’s eve died Thursday night, police said yesterday.

Senior Police Officer 3 Leonardo Pasco said he received a text message from a daughter of Sergeant Larry Rutaquio, 48, that he died at around 9 p.m. Thursday at the V. Luna Hospital in Quezon City.

Pasco said Rutaquio fell into a coma after he shot himself Wednesday afternoon. “It was really impossible for him to survive that gunshot wound,” he said.

The shooting happened at the fruit stall of Rutaquio’s wife, Roquisa, 39, near the V. Luna Hospital following a heated argument between the couple. Roquisa died on the spot from the gunshot wound she sustained in the abdomen.

Witnesses earlier told policemen that prior to the killing, the couple had been fighting for several days. Police said the arguments stemmed from Rutaquio’s suspicions that his wife was allegedly having an extramarital affair with a “textmate.” – Reinir Padua

2 bodies found in Pasig River

Two persons reportedly drowned in the Pasig River on the first day of 2009, police said yesterday.

The victims’ bodies were retrieved yesterday morning after they surfaced in separate places along the waterway.

One of the victims was identified as a certain “Boy Magallanes,” 52, of 11th street in Port Area.

Witnesses saw a visibly drunk Magallanes relieving himself near the breakwater of Pasig River when he fell in and failed to surface.

The other man, who remains unidentified as of presstime, was described as about 5’8” tall, in his mid-30s, sported a beard and a moustache and was naked. The body, covered with bruises, was found under the McArthur Bridge near the Manila Post Office. – Nestor Etolle

P1.6-M watches, cameras stolen from QC mall

Burglars broke into the department store of a mall in Quezon City and took away items worth more than P1.6 million.

Case investigator PO3 Rogelio Basbas said the break-in at SM North EDSA was discovered before 10 a.m. yesterday.

Basbas said the stolen items included 12 cameras worth P86,000; Lacoste wristwatches worth P1.49 million; and Timex watches worth P54,900.

Basbas said the burglary may have happened between Dec. 31 and Jan. 2. He added that they are looking into the angle that it is a possible inside job, and are set to question security guards on duty when the burglary may have happened. – Reinir Padua