MANILA – One of the two suspects in the assassination of General Tinio, Nueva Ecija mayor Ferdinand Bote was arrested on Wednesday in Camarines Sur.
Florencio Suarez was caught at a checkpoint in Del Gallego, Camarines Sur, Chief Superintendent Arnel Escobal of the Bicol police said in a radio interview.
“Dalawa po kasi ang suspects dito so ongoing pa rin iyong operation,” Escobal said over dzMM.
“Ito po iyong pinaghihinalaang pumatay kay Mayor Bote pero iyong report ho hindi pa kumpleto kasi ongoing pa iyong operation … sa spot report lang po ng aming police station,” he added.
Suarez was placed in the custody of the Del Gallego police station while the other suspect was yet to be identified and arrested, Escobal said.
Citing closed-circuit television camera footage, police earlier said they were pursuing three suspects who were seen “withdrawing from the crime scene” on board a motorcycle.
Bote was the second mayor to be killed in one week after he was repeatedly shot with a short firearm by motorcycle-riding suspects outside the office of the National Irrigation Administration on July 3 in Cabanatuan City.
A day before Bote’s assassination, Mayor Antonio Halili of Tanauan City, Batangas was shot from afar while attending a flag-raising ceremony at their city hall. Later that week Trece Martires City, Cavite vice mayor Alex Lubigan was also assassinated./PN
