[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=” av-desktop-hide=” av-medium-hide=” av-small-hide=” av-mini-hide=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=”]
[/av_textblock]
[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=’‘UNFORGIVABLE’ WV’s most wanted apologetic but… ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=” av-medium-font-size-title=” av-small-font-size-title=” av-mini-font-size-title=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” admin_preview_bg=”]
BY RUBY SILUBRICO
[/av_heading]
[av_textblock size=’18’ font_color=” color=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” admin_preview_bg=”]
ILOILO – “I’m sorry. I regret what I did to your father.”
This was what Antonio “Anton” Aquino – the No. 1 fugitive in Western Visayas – told the son of the man he was accused of killing, when they met at a news conference in Santa Barbara town yesterday.
But Marcelo Merindad, a retired Philippine Marines officer, refused to accept the apology of Aquino.
Aquino was caught in Marikina City on Friday. The Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO) presented him to the press at their headquarters yesterday.
“Indi ako magpa-areglo,” Marcelo Merindad stressed.
“‘Sorry’ lang ang ihambal niya sa kamatayon sang tatay ko nga tigulang na? Dapat gid sia ma-preso,” he said.
Aquino admitted stabbing to death Bonifacio Merindad, a government employee, in Barangay Miraga-Guibuangan, Santa Barbara in 2002 – among other crimes he was accused of committing.
He was charged with murder for Bonifacio Merindad’s death before the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office.
According to Marcelo Merindad, his father was 82 years old at the time.
Marcelo Merindad lauded the IPPO under the director Senior Superintendent Marlon Tayaba for catching Aquino.
After he was charged with murder in 2002, Aquino left Iloilo and went to Metro Manila.
Aquino said he applied for a job in Marikina and prevented any suspicion by submitting to his employer a faked National Bureau of Investigation clearance.
The suspect was apparently intent on evading law enforcers.
The 55-year-old native of Cadiz City, Negros Occidental gave the police a hard time locating him, according to Tayaba.
“Nahirapan talaga kami kasi palipat-lipat siya ng tirahan,” Tayaba told reporters.
Combined forces of the IPPO, Police Regional Office 6’s Regional Intelligence Division, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in Manila, and Marikina City police arrested Aquino.
Police secured from the Regional Trial Court Branch 36 the warrant of arrest for murder which they served the suspect outside the Marikina Bingo Gaming Office, where he was working as janitor.
Tayaba said information from their “asset” and the community helped them arrest the most wanted man in the region. Their informant will get a P300,000 reward, said the police official.
In 1989, Aquino said, he was charged with homicide for an incident in Barangay Bata, Bacolod City. He was convicted.
The Parole and Probation Administration approved his application for parole after eight years of incarceration.
Aquino also admitted stabbing security guard Rolly Sola in Barangay Zone 6, Santa Barbara in 1998. He settled with the victim and paid P70,000, he said.
Moreover, he was charged with physical injuries for stabbing someone he identified only as “Ronnie” on Merlo Street, Santa Barbara.
Tayaba said Aquino was also a suspect in deaths in the island province of Guimaras and Antipolo City in Rizal province.
But Aquino denied involvement in the latter two crimes. He also insisted that in all of the other crimes, he was merely defending himself.
Tayaba also said Aquino was a former member of the Prion group, which was engaged in robbery and cattle-rustling.
The Prion group was led by Joel Prion, who was killed in a police operation in Cabatuan years ago./PN
[/av_textblock]
[/av_one_full]
