[av_one_full first min_height=” vertical_alignment=” space=” custom_margin=” margin=’0px’ padding=’0px’ border=” border_color=” radius=’0px’ background_color=” src=” background_position=’top left’ background_repeat=’no-repeat’ animation=”]
[av_heading heading=’‘GET HIM ALIVE!’
PRO-6 orders manhunt vs Molo slay suspect ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY RUBY P. SILUBRICO
[/av_heading]
[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=”]
ILOILO City – The Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) launched a manhunt against the suspected killer of a drug suspect at Imperial Subdivision, Barangay North Fundidor, Molo district on Tuesday.
Bernardo “Toto” Espinosa was a resident of Barangay Cagbang, Oton, Iloilo. A witness positively identified him.
“My instruction to our police was to arrest the suspected triggerman, put him behind bars and file a complaint,” said Chief Superintendent Jose Gentiles, regional police director.
The Molo police station is leading the manhunt. It already arrested the suspect’s companion hours after 26-year-old Leonel Capanang of Barangay Dulonan, Arevalo district was peppered with bullets.
First to be arrested was Reynante Mendoza – driver of the motorcycle that Espinosa used to flee after the shooting around 7:20 a.m. on Nov. 15.
Mendoza confirmed to the police the statement of witness Christian Magda-el that his motorcycle back rider (Espinosa) shot Capanang, a resident of Barangay Dulonan, Arevalo district.
Capanang died of multiple gunshot wounds at The Medical City.
According to Mendoza, the killing was about illegal drugs.
Senior Inspector Mark Cordero, Molo police chief, said yesterday a murder complaint was being prepared against Espinosa and Mendoza.
He did not say if Mendoza was being considered as a witness against Espinosa.
Barangay Captain Editha Casilio of Dulonan confirmed that Capanang was in her Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Council’s (BADAC) list of suspected drug personalities.
A source said the suspects gave Capanang P1,500 for several sachets of shabu but the fish vendor failed to produce the illegal drug on Tuesday.
A .45 pistol was used on Capanang.
Meanwhile, Cordero said the Molo police still do not have suspects in the killing of 35-year-old Mark Mallon of Barangay South San Jose, Molo also on Tuesday some two hours before Capanang was shot.
Mallon, a suspected subgroup leader of slain drug lord Melvin “Boyet” Odicta Sr., died of multiple gunshot wounds, too.
Cordero said the two shootings were not related albeit both involved illegal drugs.
“In Mallon’s case, we have not identified any suspect yet. No witness has so far surfaced,” said Cordero.
Two gunmen on a motorcycle attacked Mallon, a “high-value” drug target of the police.
The Molo police ranked the victim No. 2 in its list of suspected drug personalities.
According to Barangay Captain Eliezer Villanueva of South San Jose, Molo, Mallon was in their BADAC’s list of drug suspects.
Mallon had worked as personal driver of Atty. Edeljulio Romero, legal counsel of Odicta./PN
[/av_textblock]
[/av_one_full]
