Suspect in diver’s death in Daanbantayan caught

CEBU, Philippines - A 21-year-old man who is suspected to be behind the recent blasting incident in Barangay Paypay in Daanbantayan town that killed a diver was arrested yesterday for possession of explosives.

Police arrested Jindo Rosalejos Pepito and confiscated from him bottles believed to be dynamite.

Pepito is being tagged responsible for the death of master diver Al Bernard Coyoca, 30. Pepito allegedly mistook Coyoca, who was diving, for a fish and threw dynamite on the latter on September 30.

Police Officer 3 Victor Avenido of Daanbantayan Police Station who investigates the case could not yet say though if Pepito is a suspect, saying they have yet to receive a copy of the autopsy on the victim.

Early yesterday morning, Avenido said, they received reports of blasting activities in Barangay Paypay.

Personnel from Daanbantayan Police Station led by their station chief, Senior Inspector Roger Quijano, proceeded to the area.

They arrived at the shore and saw Pepito sitting on a banca and holding a fish net. They reportedly approached him but he tried to run away.

The police caught up with the suspect and confiscated from him a white plastic pack containing bottles believed to be dynamite, hence to his arrest.

Avenido said if results of the autopsy on Coyoca’s body would show that the victim died of blast injuries, they will be filing cases against the suspect, whom he has not identified yet.

“Dili pa mi maka-reveal ana sa pagkakaron. Ang imbestigasyon sa nakalabay nga insidente padayon pa, pero for filing na kung makadawat na mi sa result sa autopsy,” he said.

But Cebu Police Provincial Office director Senior Superintendent Noel Gillamac has already identified Pepito as the suspect.

Gillamac said that last Tuesday, he directed the Provincial Investigation and Detective Management Branch (PIDMB) to send investigators to Coyoca’s wake to talk to the family.

During the conversation, three names were reportedly mentioned by the family.

“Sa pag-analyze nato sa kaso, accordingly, na-aan kuno nila’g isda maong ilang gipabuthan. Naa na nato ang person who is responsible, ang katong duha pa atong kuhaon nga witness aron mo-strong ang atong ebidensya against this person,” Gillamac said.

Pepito has denied the crime, Gillamac said, but there are witnesses who can testify that the suspect was the one who mistook Coyoca for a fish and threw dynamite on him.

Coyoca’s father Enrico, in an interview, said he is happy with the development of the case, saying justice has been initially served.

“Bisan hinay no, basta ang wheel of justice nagtuyok g’yud. Nalipay ‘ta ana, pasalamat ‘ta sa mga polis,” he said.

He narrated that on September 30, he and his son were visiting to his brother’s house in Paypay for a vacation and at around 5:30 a.m., while he was still half-awake, his son asked to go to the sea for a dive.

However, he began to worry after his son failed to return an hour after. He started to panic when the latter still has not come back by 10 a.m.

At around 1 p.m., they heard that a man was washed ashore, only to soon find out that it was his son Al Bernard.

The victim’s mask has reportedly been detached already from his face but the diving equipment were still attached to his body.

The victim’s aunt went to the police station to report the incident and received information that his nephew was a victim of dynamite explosion, so she informed Enrico.

Enrico said his son allegedly suffered two broken ribs, his lungs turned silver in color, and his internal organs were badly damaged.

He said Pepito thought his son was a fish and blasted him with dynamite.

“Nagtuo lagi nga isda sir maong gitirohan kay niburok man. Gitirohan pa g’yud ikaduha kay niburok pa og usab,” he said.

The victim will be laid to his final resting place in Liloan town while the suspect, for now, will be facing charges for violation of the Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998. — (FREEMAN)