Police looking for witnesses in slay of car firm employee

CAMP PACIANO RIZAL, Philippines—Police are still searching for witnesses in Tuesday’s killing of a driver of Honda Cars Philippines who was gunned down during rush hour on a main road in Sta. Rosa City in Laguna.

Tairick Bonto, 24, was driving the company’s service van to deliver car parts to Caloocan when he was shot dead along the national highway in Barangay (village) Don Jose at around 4 p.m. Tuesday, said Laguna Police Chief Superintendent Ismael Fernandez  in a phone interview on Thursday.

Bonto, who was shot in the head and chest, was killed on the spot.

Fernandez said Bonto might have figured in a traffic altercation because his van was parked neatly on the side of the road. “It looked like he stepped out to approach another vehicle (on the inner lane of the road).”

The police immediately ruled out robbery, saying the company’s vehicle and its contents were intact.

The victim’s colleagues also told police the victim had no known enemies.

Bonto had just left the company’s plant located inside the compound of the Laguna Technopark and was headed toward a toll booth to enter the South Luzon Expressway before the incident occurred.

“I’m pretty sure someone had witnessed it because it happened during daytime and it was usually a busy road,” Fernandez said.

However, people interviewed by the police at the nearest gas station about 70 meters from the scene said they only heard gunshots.