Ecija rape suspect shot dead in escape try a day after arrest

Cabanatuan City (Wikipedia maps)

CABANATUAN CITY– Ariel Viquierra, the 37-year-old tricycle driver accused of raping a three-year-old girl, was killed on Friday afternoon (Nov. 16) following an alleged escape attempt while being booked at the Cabanatuan police station.

Viquierra allegedly grabbed the service firearm of PO1 Edward Azurin at at 4:40 p.m. in the warrant section and shot at policemen, prompting them to retaliate, according to Supt. Ponciano Zafra, city police chief.

Zafra said the suspect was rushed to the Paulino J. Garcia Memorial Research and Medical Center but was declared dead on arrival.

Viquierra was arrested in the Pampanga town of Sta. Ana on Thursday (Nov. 15) where he fled after security camera footage recorded him carrying a child to his Cabanatuan home on Tuesday night (Nov. 13). The child’s mother discovered that the girl had been sexually molested.

Viquierra was turned over to the Cabanatuan police, and was being escorted by PO2 Allan Capinpin, PO2 Edward Darrel Bucao, and PO1 Nikko Alinas, Zafra said. /jpv