'Gunman' in slay of teacher falls

CEBU, Philippines - The suspected gunman of a public school teacher in Minglanilla who was murdered last month was arrested by the police for illegal possession of firearms.

Noel Yapparcon, 37, was arrested by the operatives of the Regional Special Operations Group at his house in Barangay Panadtaran, San Fernando last Wednesday evening.

RSOG operatives recovered caliber .22 and .45 pistol in his house during the service of the search warrant for illegal possession of firearms issued by Regional Trial Court Branch 13 Judge Meinrado Paredes in Cebu City.

Yapparcon, a native of Palawan, was a former ambulance driver of San Fernando during the administration of then Mayor Lakambini Reluya.Chief Inspector Romeo Santander, who led the team that arrested Yapparcon, said that the suspect was also identified by witnesses as the alleged gunman of public school teacher Serafin Villahermosa, Jr.

Santander said that their witnesses told them that they saw the suspect at past 4 pm last July 19 outside the gate of Tubod Elementary School tailing Villahermosa.

The witnesses allegedly saw Yapparcon hid behind a water dispenser of the school after shooting the teacher. The suspect, however, denied the accusations saying the police framed him up after they failed to recover firearms from him.

Cebu Provincial Police chief Erson Digal said the case is already solved as the driver of the get-away motorcycle identified as Felicisimo Tanudtanud was also arrested.Digal said they will submit Yapparcon to a tactical interrogation to determine who possibly hired him to kill Villahermosa.

Cebu City and Cebu province police offices earlier coordinated in the investigation after it was reported that the killing of Villahermosa could be connected to the killing of a businesswoman in Cebu City last year.

Villahermosa was the husband of the elder sister of the slain businesswoman Lalaine Jore, who was shot dead in Feb 17, 2009 inside her convenience store in Gorordo Avenue, Cebu City.

Charges for illegal possession of firearms and ammunition as well as murder are being readied against Yapparcon. (THE FREEMAN)