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Philippines

Suspect in woman's slay arrested in QC

Philippines

Suspect in woman's slay arrested in QC

By Aaron Homer Dioquino

A man involved in a shooting incident that resulted in the death of a lady volunteer tanod (village watcher) and wounding of two others was arrested by police in Quezon City on Friday morning, March 18.

Lt. Col. Mark Julio Abong, Quezon City Police District (QCPD) Crime Investigation and Detection Unit (CIDU) chief, said the suspect, Jono Villarin, 28, of Brgy. Holy Spirit, Quezon City, was arrested through the help of a witness.

In a press conference on Monday, March 21, Abong said that the shooting incident occurred at the gate of the LRB Compound on St. Joseph Street in Brgy. Holy Spirit on March 17.

Victims Annabelle Espinosa, 43; Seferino Laxamana, 71; and Merlita Cabigas,56; all residents of Brgy. Holy Spirit, were on duty as volunteer village watchers of the said compound at around 9:45 p.m. when Villarin, who was armed with a gun, suddenly came and fired shots at them. The suspect fled on board a motorcycle.

The victims were rushed to the Far Eastern University - Nicanor Reyes Medical Foundation (FEU-NRMF) Hospital where Espinosa was declared dead on arrival.

“Nagpatakbo agad kami ng tao, kasi alam nga namin ‘yung gravity ng sitwasyon, may namatay, dalawa ‘yung biktima, tapos ganito pa ‘yung season, election season. So, naalarma kami (We immediately sent our men since we know the gravity of the situation, someone died, there were two other victims, and it happened in the election season. So we were alarmed),” Abong said.

Abong said the witness claimed that Villarin used to engage the victims in argument due to his alleged basketball game-fixing activity in the area.

At around 10:30 a.m. on March 18, members of the CIDU arrested Villarin.

Authorities said that the suspect was positively identified by victims Laxamana and Cabigas as the man who shot them.

The suspect was charged with murder and frustrated murder, police said.

Related Tags

Quezon City qcpd MURDER

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