“Dahil lang sa simpleng traffic violation pinatay niya ang asawa ko. Nasaan ang konsensya mo?”
These were the words of the wife of an enforcer who was shot dead by a driver he was trying to apprehend over a traffic violation in Pasay City last Tuesday.
Nida (not her real name) said she would do everything she can to get justice for her slain husband, Noel Lunas, 46, a member of Pasay City Traffic Management Office, and put the suspects, who remain at large, behind bars.
“Ilalaban ko po ito kahit na anong mangyari. Namatay ang asawa ko na ginagampanan ang trabaho niya, hindi naman po siya namatay dahil sa katarantaduhan kaya hustisya ang kailangan,” Nida said during the first day of Noel’s wake yesterday.
Nida recalled how her husband, a traffic enforcer for 10 years, used to tell her stories after he comes home from work.
“Napakatapat niya po sa trabaho niya, hindi naman po siya tatagal sa serbisyo kung hindi. Kapag po sobra ang traffic kahit sa katirikan ng araw, talagang magmamando siya para mapaluwag yun. Kita niyo naman po ‘yung ginawa niya ‘di ba?
Hinabol niya ‘yung suspek kahit hindi siya ang nakasita,” Nida explained.
Noel was shot in the head, chest and armpit when he tried to apprehend the suspect, Nashro Bagindulo alias “Cairoden Mangundao”, of General Trias, Cavite, due to traffic obstruction along EDSA-Roxas Boulevard.
Bagindulo, with his wife Norhinia Sema alias “Agua Sema” and “Rose Sema,” was onboard their Toyota Innova (UHQ 311) when he tried to overtake another Montero car along but failed to pass through.
Noel’s co-worker, Joey De Chavez, tried to confront Bagindulo, but the suspect did not open the doors of the car and instead yelled “Kamag-anak ako ng general!”, then sped off.
De Chavez radioed Noel who ran after Bagindulo to issue a violation ticket. Instead of the surrendering, the suspect shot the victim three times when they reached Park Avenue Extension near a Muslim mosque.
“Ballpen lang ang hawak ng asawa ko. Ano ba naman ‘yung kausapin niya na lang? Bakit mo pa pinatay? May kotse ka pero hindi ka makapagmulta ng R300 sa violation mo?,” Nida said.
SPO2 Joel Landicho, case investigator, said they are still conducting follow-up investigation to get the suspect who works as an online seller of garments.
“Yung sasakyan din na gamit nila na-trace namin na ang may-ari ay taga-Davao. So tinitignan natin, baka second owner sila o ano,” Landicho said.
Noel left his wife and four daughters aged 22, 15, 13, and 8.
As of yesterday, the youngest daughter still did not know her father was already dead since she was in Albay, Bicol.
With the death of her husband, Nida would have to support her family with her measly allowance of R8,000 monthly as a barangay officer. (MARTIN A. SADONGDONG)