Aves and Kin of victims face off: Akrho “hitman” faces 17 cases

After the arrest comes the deluge of cases.

Cebu City police yesterday filed at least 17 cases against Aristotle “Ares” Aves, an alleged “hitman” of the Alpha Kappa Rho (Akrho) fraternity for murder, frustrated homicide, homicide and attempted murder committed since 2004.

All of these cases were fraternity or gang-related.  The Akrho is engaged in a war of attrition against the Tau Gamma Phi fraternity but many of the victims of the two groups are not members of either one but targeted by mistake.

According to Cebu City police chief Sr. Superintendent Patrocinio Comendador, Aves is the suspect in six murder cases, eight frustrated murders, two attempted homicides, and one homicide.

The CCPO has obtained three warrants of arrest against him, two of which are for murder cases and one for illegal possession of firearm.

He was brought to the courts where these warrants of arrest were issued, but was immediately brought back to the CCPO headquarters so that the police can prepare more charges against him.

There would also be raps that will be filed in Mandaue City specifically for illegal possession of firearm and illegal drugs when he was arrested on board an Ormoc-bound ship Monday night.

Aves, who was arrested along with Jesus Singson, Jr., had a .45 caliber M1911 pistol with 12 live ammunition in two magazines and a big plastic pack with suspected shabu with estimated to weigh more than five grams.

Singson was also found in possession of another big plastic pack of the illegal drugs.

Police found from them wallets with fake IDs, one of which is a school ID of an aeronautical school bearing the name Mikael Colminas, but the picture was that of Aves.

Comendador said, Aves did not give up easily and even tried to draw his pistol, but failed when the police immediately forced him to drop to the metal floor of the ship.

The Cebu City government has dangled a P300,000 reward for his capture, which the police proved to be decisive in the outcome of the manhunt operation against Aves.

Sr. Insp. George Ylanan, commander of Task Force Aves admitted to reporters that the reward have helped the police obtain more information from various sources.

The city police filed a few weeks ago charges for the latest drive-by-shootings that happened last October 4 resulting to the death of three people.

Comendador said, they would be amending the previous charges against Aves and this possibly to include Singson if there will be witnesses that could positively identify him.

The CCPO is also building the case pertaining to the earlier drive-by shooting that happened at D. Jakosalem Street in barangay Parian last September 21 killing Eugene Presbitero, an art sign businessman, and injuring three others.

Angelito Reyes, 42, who survived the shooting but is now paralyzed, positively identified Aves yesterday inside the CIIB office.

Another survivor Benjamin Dilao,who was hit on the mouth also identified him as the one who shot at them while they were having a drinking spree with five others.

“To the relatives of the victims that we promised them that we’ll deliver and try our best to capture the suspect and now he’s captured. Now this is a long process in the court room I would like to appeal to them that they must fully cooperate on this to ensure that the suspect is convicted,” Comendador said.  — with Wenna A. Berondo/NLQ