JEALOUSY has triggered a man to kill a jeepney driver at Barangay Sampinit in Bago City, Negros Occidental on Tuesday morning, June 19.
Killed was Marlon Sixto, 37, of Barangay Taloc, Bago.
Senior Inspector Hercules Trigue Jr., deputy chief for administration of Bago City Police Station, said the victim followed the 28-year-old woman, whom he allegedly courted, from KM 13.5 to Crossing Camatis past 9 a.m.
The woman, whose name was withheld, only learned that Sixto followed her after they both disembarked from the same jeepney.
When the woman was about to cross the road, Sixto allegedly stopped her and told her to go with him to Bacolod City.
However, an unidentified man suddenly fired at the victim from behind.
Sixto succumbed four gunshot wounds on the head while the woman reportedly escaped with the gunman on a motorcycle towards Barangay Busay.
Police recovered from the scene a fired bullet and magazine containing three live ammunition of .45 caliber pistol and a cap.
Trigue said they already tried calling the woman after she was identified by other witnesses but she did not answer their calls and text messages.
A few hours later, the woman appeared at the police station around 4 p.m. to clear her name.
She told the police that she was supposed to meet the suspect whom she later identified as Frank Alvarez Sr., 46, of Barangay Lag-asan.
But the victim followed her that triggered Alvarez to shoot him.
The woman also clarified that she already knew the suspect but she still went with him because of panic and fear that she might also get shot.
The suspect then just left her at Barangay Taloc and told her that she has nothing to do with the crime.
After the woman's testimony, the police arrested Alvarez at his house around 6:30 p.m. but authorities failed to recover the firearm that he used in the crime.
Trigue said the woman and the gunman reportedly has an affair as the suspect previously worked as an electrician at their house.
Despite the woman's statement, Trigue said she is also under police custody, pending the investigation. However, she might not be included in the filing of the murder case if proven that she has no involvement in the crime.
Only Alvarez will be held criminally liable for the crime, Trigue added.
Alvarez now is detained at the police station.