Killing of college student: 3 suspects fall to NBI agents

CEBU - The quest for justice of the family of a 19-year-old student seems to have found the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel as three suspects were arrested yesterday.

 The National Bureau of Investigation yesterday arrested the suspects in the killing of Gerry Guiseppe Gatungay in Barangay Punta Princesa early last week.

A 15-year old witness led the NBI operatives headed by Supervising Agent Rennan Augustus Oliva to the houses of the suspects that led to the arrest of Rodney Arias, Dandreb Pradilla and Mark Geus Aquino.

Arias and Pradilla were first arrested at 6:30 a.m. in sitio Bulingit, barangay Mambaling while Aquino was arrested an hour later in sitio Tuburan, barangay Punta Princesa.

The witness, who was first taken into custody by the NBI last Thursday, identified the three as the ones responsible in the killing of Gatungay on October 28 at Ganciang St., barangay Punta Princesa.

The witness said they were drinking alcoholic beverages when Arias, armed with a knife, said that they will go somewhere.

According to the witness, even without him knowing where they were heading, he volunteered to go.

The witness said there were five of them, one of whom was allegedly a friend of Arias, whose name he did not know, who went to Ganciang St. in Mambaling where they saw a man coming out from the corner of Bayabas St.

Upon seeing the man, Arias allegedly ordered that they follow the man. The witness said that he and two others acted as lookout while Arias and Aquino ran after the man.

In his extra-judicial confession executed before lawyer Danilo Yap, witness said that Arias and Aquino stabbed the victim, whom he later knew to be Gatungay.

Gatungay allegedly tried to run for safety towards Oliva St., but Aquino ran after him and delivered another thrust.

After the incident they allegedly went back to Punta Princesa and finished their drinking session.

The witness added that he knows Arias to be a rugby user and a member of the Crips Gang.

Aquino on the other hand is known to be a drug addict in the neighborhood and also a member of another notorious gang, Bloods.

NBI regional director Medardo De Lemos said that the arrest of the three suspects was based on the principle of hot pursuit operation.

Gatungay’s elder sister, Aimee Gabuya, thanked the NBI for the arrest of the suspects.

The family earlier this week asked for help from the media seeking justice for their brother. They also went to the NBI, the police and other agencies for assistance.

Gatungay was buried last Wednesday at the Queen City Memorial Gardens.

Meanwhile, Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña yesterday promised to give financial assistance to the family of Gatungay after his parents when to City Hall.

The mayor also congratulated the NBI for the arrest of the suspects. –With Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon/NLQ  (THE FREEMAN)