MPD nabs suspects in maritime cop’s slay

Two suspects in the robbery-slay of a Navotas-based maritime policeman were arrested by operatives of the Manila Police District (MPD) in an operation the other night in Tondo.

MPD director Chief Superintendent Pedro Bulaong presented to media yesterday suspects Reynaldo Beltran, 40, a truck helper, and Julius Abool, 30, jobless, both of Isla Puting Bato, Tondo.

Bulaong said Beltran was positively identified by a witness as the one who shot SPO1 Wilfredo Cagas, an intelligence officer of the National Capital Region Maritime Office, while the latter was reportedly on a mission at the Apex Compound in Parola Pier 2 last Sunday night.

Abool, on the other hand, was identified as the man who took the caliber .45 pistol of the slain cop.

A third suspect is now the subject of a police manhunt.

A follow-up team of homicide operatives, led by Chief Inspector Alejandro Yanquiling Jr., swooped down on Isla Puting Bato last night, armed with warrants against a group of goons, led by a certain "Basit."

The raid was conducted following the arrest of one Dackson Tawakal for illegal possession of firearms.

Tawakal is a known hoodlum in Isla Puting Bato and was initially suspected as one of the armed men who ganged up on the maritime policeman. Following interrogation, Tawakal led police to the suspects’ lair.

Yanquiling and his men rounded up nine persons during the operation. The nine were lined up before a lone witness, resulting in the positive identification of the two suspects.

Yanquiling said the slain cop’s missing firearm was in the possession of the third suspect, whose name he temporarily withheld pending his arrest.

The seven other men were subjected to a routine record check, fingerprinting and mug shots for police filing, even as charges of vagrancy were filed against them.

The two suspects were charged with robbery with homicide.