‘Honest’ airport driver nabbed for murder

He was once commended for honesty. Now he is being charged with murder.

The law finally caught up with a shuttle service driver working at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia), who is now haunted by a crime he allegedly committed 14 years ago.

The police on Wednesday arrested Alex Esquillon, 47, who managed to land a job at the Airport Shuttle Service Inc.

(ASSI) since he had apparently managed to obtain clearances from the police and the National Bureau of Investigation, without any criminal record then cropping up.

Esquillon, a Makati City resident, earlier received an award from the Manila International Airport Authority (Miaa) for his “honesty.”

Around 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, members of the Philippine National Police-Aviation Security Group (PNP-Avsegroup) arrested Esquillon at Naia Terminal 2 by virtue of an arrest warrant issued by the Baguio City Regional Trial Court Branch 6.

It turned out that he is one of the accused in the Feb. 11, 2001 killing of Baguio resident Marvin Suetos.

According to court records, Esquillon, with coaccused Arturo Barlaan and George Domingo, allegedly stabbed Suetos to death on Otek Street in Baguio. The killing was reportedly sparked by an altercation over who should pay the P200 bill they had incurred in a drinking session.

Only Barlaan was put on trial and later convicted of murder, receiving a life sentence.

According to a report by the PNP-Avsegroup director, Chief Supt. Francisco Balagtas, Esquillon was tracked down by the authorities with the help of an informant who knew of the murder case.

The tipster had seen the suspect’s Facebook account and later discovered that he was working at Naia, Balagtas said.

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

Caberoy said the ASSI management had no knowledge that the mild-mannered Esquillon was facing a murder case, as the man even received a commendation a few months ago from Miaa for honesty after he turned over a laptop computer left behind by a passenger in his shuttle.

Esquillon, who was immediately brought by Avsegroup to Baguio City, claimed that he was not aware that there was a murder charge pending against him.