CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (PNA) – A former New People’s Army (NPA) rebel, the main suspect in the killing of the son of the mayor here and a companion, was arrested over the weekend.
The Cagayan de Oro City Police Office (COCPO) said in a statement Sunday, July 31, that suspect Edgardo Gaabucayan was served his warrant of arrest Saturday, July 30, in Sitio Tapuk-Tapok, Purok 6, Barangay Cabasagan, Lala, Lanao del Norte.
Gaabucayan was tagged as the gunman in the murder of Roland Sherwin Uy, 45, and Samuel Pabalan, an employee of the family, in Barangay Pagatpat, this city, on Nov. 11, 2021.
Uy is the son of Mayor Rolando Uy.
"Personal grudge was the main motive in this case and the employee Samuel ‘Tatay’ Pabalan was merely a collateral victim. The arrested suspect is now temporarily detained at the Maharlika Detention Facility pending proper disposition of the case," said Police Major Evan Viñas, COCPO spokesperson.
In April, Police Col. Aaron Mandia, COCPO director, said the police has filed two counts of murder charges against Gaabucayan before the Regional Trial Court Branch 38 here.
Further investigation found out that the suspect was a former member of the NPA Special Partisan Unit that once operated in Sindangan, Zamboanga del Norte.
At the time of his slay, Roland was a council member in Barangay Carmen while Pabalan was his caretaker in their gravel and sand business in Barangay Pagatpat.