Poro police chief’s “killers” fall

CEBU, Philippines - Three suspected gunmen, including the alleged assailant of Senior Inspector Jonas Tahanlangit, former chief of Poro Police Station in Camotes Island, were arrested in Barangay Subangdaku, Mandaue City yesterday dawn.

Arnel Mata, 36, his 17-year-old brother, and 29-year-old Jaypee Rosal were arrested by elements of Mandaue Police Station 2 past 5 a.m., said Chief Inspector Franco Rudolf Oriol of Liloan Police Station.

The Matas were from Barangay Poblacion, Danao City while Rosal, the alleged gunman of Tahanlangit, hailed from San Francisco, Camotes Island.

Oriol said they conducted search for the three men as they were involved in a shooting incident in Barangay Yati, Liloan around 11:30 p.m. last Monday.

He said he immediately called assistance from the Mandaue City Police Office-Station 2 after receiving reports that they were heading to Subangdaku.

Chief Inspector Genilo Veraque of MCPO-Station 2 responded to the request and immediately deployed his personnel accompanied with members of the city’s Special Weapons and Tactics team and found the three suspects.

Oriol said a certain RR Alvaro, who was with the three men but managed to evade arrest, is now the subject of a manhunt operation.

The Matas and Rosal yielded two .38 revolvers, a .45 pistol, an AR15 rifle, assorted bullets, and three large packs and eight small packs of suspected shabu weighing 15.32 grams and with an estimated value of P179, 714.

Police Regional Office-7 Director Noli Taliño confirmed that Rosal was the man who shot Tahanlangit to death last April 4 in Barangay Consuelo, San Francisco town.

“Basi doon sa information na nakuha ng ating mga pulis, umamin siya na siya yung gunman doon sa pagkapatay kay Senior Inspector Tahanlangit, ang dating chief of police ng Poro Municipal Police Station sa Camotes Island, so pinapa-conduct ng further investigation pa sa Mandaue at Liloan…para sa ganon makita natin, malaman natin lahat kung sino yung involved dito sa pagpatay kay Senior Inspector Tahanlangit,” he said.

The PRO-7 director said that they can consider the case of Tahanlangit closed but this would depend on the additional information Rosal would give to investigators.

“Depende doon sa sasabihin niya (Rosal) kung may mga ibang tao na-involved dito at hindi pa nahuhuli. We will further conduct an investigation and charge all these personalities,” Taliño said.

Tahanlangit was driving a Toyota Hi-Lux in Barangay Consuelo heading to Poro Police Station together with 16-year-old James Sampan, son of the barangay captain of Sta. Cruz, San Francisco town, and Teresa Montalban, 19, when he was attacked.

Investigation showed that two men on a black and white scooter drove alongside the pickup vehicle and when they got close enough the back rider suddenly pulled out a gun and shot Tahanlangit several times, causing the vehicle to crash into a concrete wall.

Tahanlangit was dead on arrival at the Ricardo Maningo District Hospital in the said town. Sampan, who suffered gunshot wounds, and Montalban, who fractured her fractured arm, survived the attack.

Investigators had said Tahanlangit’s campaign against illegal drugs was a possible cause for the killing, although Taliño said they have yet to determine whether or not Rosal was a member of Alvaro “Barok” Alvaro’s alleged drug group.

Barok is currently jailed inside the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center after his recent surrender before National Bureau of Investigation agents in Bohol last June.

“Narinig natin ang information na yan. With the rest itong si Jaypee Rosal, siya yung makakapagbigay ng information, lahat-lahat ng information tungkol sa insidente na to,” Taliño said.

Arnel, his brother, and Rosal would be facing criminal complaints for violation of Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, aside from another complaint for the shooting incident and illegal possession of firearms.

Taliño said the firearms seized from the three would be placed under ballistic examination.

“Maraming kaso ang naso-solve dito, isa na yung malaking kaso doon kay Senior Inspector Tahanlangit. Imagine, ‘yong chief of police papatayin ng isang drug personality, so mukhang malalim ‘yong pinag-ugatan,” he said. (FREEMAN)