Man arrested for killing Jollibee delivery man

MANILA, Philippines — A man has been arrested for the killing of a fast-food restaurant delivery rider following a traffic altercation early Sunday.

Elbert Budlat, 22, resident of Malate, Manila and employed at the Jollibee Philippine General Hospital-Taft branch, died at the PGH hours after three men went after Budlat inside the store in Manila and shot him in the left eye, police said.

Manila police have arrested a suspect identified as Jason Ignacio, 28, for the killing.

The victim had just gone out of the store to make a delivery on Sunday around 3 a.m. when three men riding on one motorcycle cut him in a counterflow, which resulted in an argument.

Budlat went back to the store but he was followed by the men later identified as Ignacio, Raymond Yap and Rolando Elizalde, according to investigation conducted by Senior Police Officer 1 Rommel del Rosario and Police Officer 3 Christian Caparas of the Manila Police District homicide section.

In a statement to the police, Efren Bales, the store’s security guard, said he heard a commotion on the ground floor while he was patrolling the second floor.

He went down to pacify the group, but Ignacio snatched his .38 cal. service pistol and said, “Huwag kayong makikialam dito (Don’t intervene here).”

Yap took the gun and slapped the store’s shift manager while swearing and demanding that they bring out the rider.

When Budlat came out, Elizalde grabbed and punched him while also shouting expletives.

At that point, Yap fired the gun and hit Budlat in the left eye. The three immediately fled using their motorcycle with Plate No. 1807-XZ.

Budlat was rushed to the nearby PGH but he died at 7:25 a.m.

A follow-up operation by the MPD Station 5 led to the arrest of Ignacio while the two suspects remained at large as of Sunday afternoon.