Security guard kills Quezon City traffic enforcer

MANILA, Philippines - A 60-year-old traffic enforcer of the Quezon City Department of Public Order and Safety (DPOS) was shot dead by a bank security guard during a clearing operation along the so-called “Mabuhay Lane” or Christmas alternate route along West Avenue yesterday morning.

Alex Batacan, 39, officer-in-charge of the bank guards, gunned down Enrique Tan Fresnido after local traffic enforcers backed by members of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and police Highway Patrol Group (HPG), towed the suspect’s motorcycle.

Police Officer 3 Alex Ada of the Quezon City police Masambong station said the DPOS enforcers were assisting the MMDA and HPG in the operations at around 5:30 a.m. to clear illegally parked vehicles and other obstructions along West Avenue, which is part of the Mabuhay Lane that was set up as an alternate route to decongest traffic along EDSA for the holiday season.

Roseller Arbolado, enforcement chief of the QC Traffic Operations Division, said some of the motorcycles towed by the enforcers belonged to the bank security guards and Batacan interfered.

Batacan asked the enforcers to release the motocycles, but the traffic enforcers issued a traffic violation ticket against them.

Arbolado said that while Fresnido was issuing the traffic ticket, Batacan went inside the bank, got a .38 caliber revolver and allegedly shot the victim in the head.

Fresnido was rushed to the Quezon City General Hospital where he died. Batacan was detained at the Masambong police station.