Anti-colorum’ task force head killed by hit-and run driver

**wewoy_romero** · July 23rd, 2008 06:30 PM

By Nancy C. Carvajal
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 17:40:00 07/23/2008

MANILA, Philippines -- The head of the Caloocan City Anti-Colorum [illegal commuter transport] task force was killed Wednesday morning when he was hit by a van, allegedly on purpose, during operations against illegal tricycles and vans in Barangay (village) Deparo.

Al Santamaria, head of the city's traffic division, said Army major Eufemio Reynoso’s subordinates rushed him to the Bernardo Hospital but the victim was declared dead on arrival.

``It was not an accident, it was deliberate because the suspect waited for him to be alone then bumped him,'' Santamaria said.

He said Reynoso was on his cell phone and about the leave the area where the operation was conducted when the Besta van, driven by a still unidentified person, bumped him around 10:30 a.m.

The assailant, Santamaria said, fled after the incident, leaving the van behind.

``The Besta van was parked in an empty lot near the…area, it was not part of the operation,'' he said.

Investigators are now looking into the ownership of the vehicle, which is in police custody.

He said Reynoso had been hired by the local government after he retired from the military to implement the city’s crackdown on colorum vehicles illegally plying routes for jeepneys, buses and taxis with franchises.

``He could have gotten the ire of people engaged in illegal [transport],'' Santamaria said when asked about the possible motive for killing Reynoso.

He explained that the local government had intensified its campaign against colorum vehicles when transport groups complained about the illegal transport operators cutting into their daily earnings.

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakin...and-run-driver

i'm looking at this both ways.

1. intentional - as stated above, he might have angered illegal transport operators.
2. unintentional - yung iba kasi na nag-ooperasyon, akala mo kanila ang kalsada. had one experience where i almost hit this stupid policeman for suddenly crossing infront of me because he was flagging down the scooter on my left.