Suspect in lawyer’s slay arrested

CEBU, Philippines - One of three suspects allegedly involved in the killing of a lawyer in the parking lot of a church in Barangay Basak, Mandaue City four years ago,  was arrested in Bukidnon province last Monday afternoon.

Joselito Japuz, alias “Balong”, 30, of Barangay Labogon, Mandaue City, was arrested by a team led by Senior Insp. Jimmy Fortes in Barangay Sta. Ana, Quezon, Bukidnon Province, around 2 p.m. last Monday.

Japuz was one of the three men held responsible for killing lawyer Santos Anthony Oraiz Cortes in May 26, 2009 at the parking lot of the Fatima Church.

The victim was a cousin of Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes and city councilor Jimmy Lumapas.

The lawyer was walking to his car after hearing Mass at around 6:30 p.m. in May 26 when he was gunned down by one of the three suspects who surrounded him. They casually left after by walking to the back of the church after the crime.

Another suspect, Albert Sevillano, is now in jail after he was arrested by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-7 in 2009 and a murder case has been filed against him. The third man remains at large and unidentified.

SPO2 Marcos Noval, one of the arresting officers, said that Japuz was arrested after a policeman based in Bukidnon asked his nephew, PO1 Restituto Raboy of the Investigation and Detective Management Branch, if Japuz was involved in the killing of a priest in Talisay City in 2009, but Raboy reported that that the suspect was involved in the killing of the lawyer and the arrest was planned.

Armed with a warrant of arrest issued by Judge Ulric Cañete of the RTC Branch 55, Fortes then led his men to Bukidnon last Saturday.

Upon reaching the said province, they then coordinated with the Quipaopao Police Station and a surveillance was conducted. The suspect did not go home last Sunday so policemen spent the night in nearby Maramag town to wait for the suspect.

He finally returned and was arrested at around 2:15 p.m. Monday after drinking near the house of his aunt who is a teacher in Barangay Sta. Ana, Quezon.

After his arrest, the suspect denied that he was involved in the killing of the lawyer.

He admitted that he went into hiding days after the killing of the lawyer, but this was only because he heard from news reports that he was being linked to the murder case.

Japuz told police that from Labogon, Mandaue City, he took a pumpboat to Barangay Tayud in Consolacion town then took another pumpboat to Pier 5 in Cebu City and then took a boat for Cagayan de Oro and then went to Bukidnon.

While he was in his aunt’s house, he also said that authorities continued to hunt him down there and he decided to hide in North Cotabato and then Agusan del Sur where he stayed for a year before coming back to Bukidnon where he was arrested.

The suspect is presently under the custody of the IDMB while waiting for his commitment order to the Mandaue City Jail. –(FREEMAN)