By Roy Mabasa
The United States government on Thursday welcomed the arrest of two individuals who were tagged in the killing of US marine officer George Anikow in Makati City in more than five years ago.
NBI Deputy dir. Ferdinand Lavin (R) with US' FBI Legal Attache Lamont Siller presents the two suspects, identified as Galicano Datu Salas and Crispin Dela Paz, in the killing of US Marines Major George Anikow in Makati last November 2012. (ALI VICOY / MANILA BULLETIN)
US Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim congratulated the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) for “bringing some measure of justice” following the arrest of suspects Galicano Datu III and Crispin dela Paz Chong, two of the four suspects in the killing of Anikow.
“I congratulate the NBI for their arrest of two of the perpetrators in the violent death of George Anikow, bringing some measure of justice to this senseless crime,” Ambassador Kim said in a message posted on his Twitter account.
Datu was arrested on June 12 in Mandaluyong City while Chong was nabbed on June 14 in Marikina City.
“We appreciate the cooperation of Philippine law enforcement authorities in locating and apprehending the perpetrators,” the US Embassy said in a separate statement.
The case stemmed from the November 24, 2012 confrontation between the 41-year-old Anikow and the four suspects outside the Bel-Air gate near Rockwell in Makati City.
Court records showed a visibly drunk Anikow was allegedly interfering with the inspections being conducted by village security guards when a silver-color Volvo SUV stopped at the gate.
Inside were the driver and three young men who initially ignored Anikow until he tapped on the vehicle to get their attention.
The men got out of the SUV and confronted Anikow until a brawl ensued. Seconds later, one of the suspects stabbed Anikow in the neck.
The victim still managed to limped away until he collapsed in front of a bar along Kalayaan Avenue. He was pronounced dead at around 7 a.m. at the Makati Medical Center.
NBI Deputy dir. Ferdinand Lavin (R) with US' FBI Legal Attache Lamont Siller presents the two suspects, identified as Galicano Datu Salas and Crispin Dela Paz, in the killing of US Marines Major George Anikow in Makati last November 2012. (ALI VICOY / MANILA BULLETIN)
US Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim congratulated the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) for “bringing some measure of justice” following the arrest of suspects Galicano Datu III and Crispin dela Paz Chong, two of the four suspects in the killing of Anikow.
“I congratulate the NBI for their arrest of two of the perpetrators in the violent death of George Anikow, bringing some measure of justice to this senseless crime,” Ambassador Kim said in a message posted on his Twitter account.
Datu was arrested on June 12 in Mandaluyong City while Chong was nabbed on June 14 in Marikina City.
“We appreciate the cooperation of Philippine law enforcement authorities in locating and apprehending the perpetrators,” the US Embassy said in a separate statement.
The case stemmed from the November 24, 2012 confrontation between the 41-year-old Anikow and the four suspects outside the Bel-Air gate near Rockwell in Makati City.
Court records showed a visibly drunk Anikow was allegedly interfering with the inspections being conducted by village security guards when a silver-color Volvo SUV stopped at the gate.
Inside were the driver and three young men who initially ignored Anikow until he tapped on the vehicle to get their attention.
The men got out of the SUV and confronted Anikow until a brawl ensued. Seconds later, one of the suspects stabbed Anikow in the neck.
The victim still managed to limped away until he collapsed in front of a bar along Kalayaan Avenue. He was pronounced dead at around 7 a.m. at the Makati Medical Center.