Fredison Atienza. Photo courtesy of QCPD
Murder charges were filed on Friday by the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) against road rage suspect Fredison Atienza, amid reports that he may have already left the resort island of Boracay where authorities said he was last spotted.
“We waited because we had information on his whereabouts. But because we received information that he is no longer in Boracay, we decided to file the case,” said the QCPD director, Chief Supt. Guillermo Eleazar.
Now the target of manhunt, Atienza was tagged as the motorist who shot Anthony Mendoza in a traffic altercation on Feb. 25. He remained at large despite earlier police statements that he had sent surrender feelers through his lawyer.
The QCPD on Thursday cited information saying Atienza was sighted on Boracay on Sunday, a day after Mendoza’s death.
The suspect reportedly took a Skyjet Airlines flight on Sunday afternoon to Caticlan, the main entry point to the resort island, and briefly stayed at Shore Time Hotel before checking out around midnight Tuesday.
The investigation also revealed that two women flew with the suspect to Caticlan that day, identified as Stephanie Ong and Jeannalyn Tsoi.
Eleazar noted that during their flight, the women were apparently unaware of the accusation against Atienza.
Ong flew back to the capital on Tuesday and spoke to the Quezon City police upon learning of the Feb. 25 incident, he said.