Suspect in Quezon slays nabbed

LUCENA CITY—Policemen and Army soldiers on Monday arrested a suspect in Friday’s killing of three workers of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in Mulanay, Quezon.

Rommel Rocete, 38, a former taekwondo instructor at the Philippine National Police regional training school at Camp Nakar here, did not resist when the lawmen came to his house in Barangay 3 in Mulanay’s town proper at around 8:15 a.m., said Senior Superintendent Valeriano de Leon, Quezon police chief.

The victims were identified as Ronald Monterey, Jason Rodelas and Celso Red, all contractual employees hired by the DPWH to cut grass along the highways, clean road canals and do all other road-maintenance-related work. They died on the spot from bullet wounds, while four others were wounded.

Investigators said Rocete got irked when the bright headlights of the workers’ vehicle shone on him and his two companions while they were drinking at a roadside store.

After Rocete’s arrest, police traced the .45 cal. pistol used in the killing to the house of one of his friends. The suspect admitted owning the gun.

Rocete was brought to Camp Nakar and charged with multiple murder and multiple frustrated murder. Delfin T. Mallari Jr., Inquirer Southern Luzon