With news about an impending war in the Korean peninsula, earthquakes in Metro Manila and terrorists in Bohol – it’s easy to be forget about events that occurred much earlier. One such event that has seemingly been forgotten by the Filipino public is the incident of road rage in Quezon City two months ago.
It was the dastardly killing of an I.T. worker named Anthony Mendoza by another motorist – Fredison Atienza Ong – after the two figured into an altercation over the latter’s driving.
Despite the absence of any physicality, Atienza exited his vehicle and shot Mendoza in the head – killing him instantly.
The incident unfolded late February, until now the suspect Atienza is still at large. So what has been happening?
Atienza was later revealed to be a high-stakes poker player, which means he is well-off. His social status might have played a factor in the way he behaved, another elitist who believed he was above being talked contentiously to. Police also disclosed that he owned two firearms, both of which had expired licenses which is another criminal violation.
Mendoza was set to marry his long-time girlfriend of 12 years before that brazen act of brutality stole that dream away from them. His only sin was to complain about the suspect’s driving, according to his older brother who was riding on the same motorcycle as him that day Atienza nearly ran them over with his recklessness.
The case was a prominent feature in the news, but is now slowly being forgotten. Atienza is still at large, which is a travesty given the seriousness of his crime. It is also believed that he is being coddled by other big-time poker players, which explains how he is able to evade arrest this long.
The last report regarding the suspect was on the 3rd of March, where authorities revealed that Atienza was living luxuriously in the tourist hotspot of Boracay.
To make matters worse, the management staff of different hotels refused to release their guestbooks which made it difficult for authorities to pinpoint the exact whereabouts of the suspect.
To know that a merciless coward who committed a heinous crime is comfortably at a location considered to be a “paradise” to many is a sham. Not only do authorities need to drag Atienza’s carcass out of the island, they should also throw him in jail.
Meanwhile, the bereaved relatives of Anthony Mendoza are still awaiting justice. To know that the man responsible for their suffering is living large is adding salt to their wounds. It also makes it difficult to believe if there is justice at all for ordinary citizens in this country.
However, all hope is not lost. If the Filipino public become aware of this incident again, they can mount pressure on the authorities to finally secure Fredison Atienza. But for that to happen, they first need to remember that this case exists.