9 cops in Calbayog mayor’s slay surrender

TACLOBAN CITY, Philippines — Nine policemen ordered arrested in connection with the murder of Calbayog City mayor Ronaldo Aquino on March 8 last year surrendered on Tuesday.

Lt. Col. Harry Sucayre, Maj. Shyrile Tan, Capt. Dino Goles, Lt. Julio Armeza Jr., Pat. Nino Salem, Cpl. Julius Garcia and S/Sgts. Neil Cebu, Edsel Omega and Randy Merelos were detained at the custodial facility of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group at Camp Crame.

Calbayog Regional Trial Court Branch 32 Judge Cicero Lampasa issued the arrest warrant on Monday.

The nine policemen were indicted for frustrated murder and four counts of murder last month.

Aquino, his security escort Rodeo Stario and driver Dennis Abayon as well as bystander Clint Paul Yauder were killed in a gun attack on Labuyao Bridge in Barangay Lonoy. Aquino’s security aide Mansfield Laboni was wounded.

Capt. Joselito Tabada and S/Sgt. Romeo Lauyon were killed when Aquino and his companions returned fire.

Sucayre, Tan, Omega and Cebu were found guilty of five counts of grave misconduct, four counts of murder, one count of frustrated murder and grave irregularity in the performance of duty, and dismissed from the service last November.

Aquino was on his way to attend the birthday party of his son when they were attacked.

The Philippine National Police-Internal Affairs Service (PNP-IAS) confirmed that Aquino and his men were killed in an ambush and not in a shootout as claimed by the policemen.

The National Bureau of Investigation corroborated the findings of the PNP-IAS.