NAIA driver earlier awarded for ‘honesty’ arrested for murder

MANILA, Philippines – A Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) shuttle service driver, who has allegedly been evading a murder case for 14 years, was arrested on Wednesday afternoon at the airport.

Alex Esquillon, 47, of Makati City, was able to land a job at the Airport Shuttle Service Inc (ASSI) because he had no arrest record that would have prevented him from obtaining clearances from the police and the National Bureau of Investigation and was even awarded by the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) for his “honesty.”

On Wednesday, at around 5:30 p.m., members of the Philippine National Police Aviation Security Group (PNP-Avsegroup) nabbed Esquillon at the NAIA Terminal 2 by virtue of an arrest warrant issued against him by the Baguio City regional trial court branch 6 as a co-accused in the February 11, 2001 killing of Marvin Suetos.

Based on court records, Esquillon and his co-accused, Arturo Barlaan and George Domingo, allegedly stabbed to death Suetos along Otek Street in Baguio City. The killing, according to the records, had been triggered by their P200 drinking session tab that none of them wanted to pay.

Only Barlaan was tried and convicted for the murder and sentenced to reclusion perpetua. His two co-accused were neither arrested nor arraigned for the crime, prompting the court to issue an arrest warrant against them for their separate trial.

A report by the PNP-Avsegroup director, Chief Supt. Francisco Balagtas, said Esquillon was found through a tip. He said that an informant who knew of the murder case had seen Esquillon’s Facebook account and discovered that he was working at the NAIA.

ASSI manager Nick Caberoy said that Esquillon applied for a job as a driver in 2014 and was hired after he was able to submit the required documents, including NBI and police clearances.

Caberoy pointed out that they never thought Esquillon was involved in any crime because he was mild-mannered and was even commended a few months ago by the Miaa for his honesty in returning a laptop computer that was accidentally left behind by a passenger in his driven shuttle.

Esquillon claimed that he never knew of the murder charge against him.

The Avsegroup immediately brought Esquillon to Baguio City to present him to the court and return the arrest warrant to the judge. AC