Wife of slain Grab driver to suspect: ‘Bakit mo ginawa yun sa asawa ko?’

(Updated 3:24 p.m.) “Bakit mo ginawa ‘yun? Alam mo gusto n’ya bumalik sa pamilya n’ya diba?”

(Why did you do that? Don’t you know that he wanted to go home to his family?)

This was what the wife of slain Grab driver Gerardo Maquidato Jr. told the suspect upon meeting him in person for the first time at Camp Crame on Wednesday.

“Nagpipilit syang kumawala sayo eh, bakit mo ginawa yun sa asawa ko?” Brenda told suspect Narc Tulod Delemios while he was presented before the press in the Philippine National Police (PNP) National Headquarters in Quezon City.

(He was struggling to get away from you, why did you do that to my husband?)

“Alam mo gusto niyang bumalik sa pamilya niya. Alam ko ang iniisip niya paano siya makaaalis sa ‘yo para makauwi sa amin. Ang dami nyang pangarap sa mga anak namin sa pamilya namin bakit mo ginawa?” she added in between sobs.

(You know he wanted to go back to his family. I know what he was thinking: how can he escape you so he could go home to us. He had a lot of dreams for our children, our family, why did you do it?)

Maquidato’s mother, Maximiana, also condemned the suspect for wasting her son’s life.

“Sabi nga ni Lord magpatawad tayo pero isang mabuting tao and winalang-hiya mo. Napakasipag niya mapagmahal sya sa pamilya nya. Parang hayop and ginawa mo sa kanya masahol ka pa. Pagsisisihan mo habang buhay ang ginawa mo,” she told Delemios.

(The Lord said let us forgive, but you have devastated a good person. He was very hard working, very loving to his family. You treated him like an animal, you are the worst. You will feel sorry for the rest of your life for what you have done to him.)

Prior their statements, Delemios was also given the chance to air his side.

“Alam ko po na mahirap akong mapatawad ng pamilya ng driver. Hindi ko po alam na siya ay good Samaritan,” Delemios said.

(I know that it would be hard for the family of the driver to forgive me. I did not know he was a good Samaritan.)

“Humihingi po ako ng pasensya pero inagaw po niya ang baril. Pera lang po ang habol ko pero lumaban po siya kaya ko po nagawa yung krimen,” he added.

(I am asking for forgiveness but he tried to grab the gun from me. Money is just what I wanted but he fought back, that is why I committed that crime.)

Narc Tulod Delemios aka Miko or Real Nikolo Delemios (in white shirt), primary suspect in the killing of Grab partner-driver Gerardo Maquidato Jr. last October 26, 2017, is presented to the media in Camp Crame. INQUIRER photo / Lyn Rillon

Delemios voluntarily surrendered to the Pasay City Police Station on Tuesday evening.

READ: Suspect in killing of Grab driver surrenders to police

The Toyota Innova of the victim was also recovered by the operating elements in Barangay Matatalaib, Tarlac City.

Prior to his arrest, Delemios has a standing warrant of arrest for the murder of a certain Gino Balbuena in October 2014.

The Grab driver was killed and robbed by the suspect on the night of Oct. 26 in Pasay City, after posing as a Grab passenger.

Maquidato was hailed a “good Samaritan” in October last year after he offered a free ride to a passenger who was about to undergo a dialysis. /jpv