Police arrest former cop for Viña murder

A former police officer suspected of involvement in the recent killing of Senior Superintendent Teofilo Viña was arrested yesterday in Cavite by local police, according to sketchy reports reaching the National Bureau of Investigation.

NBI chief Reynaldo Wycoco earlier gave Renato Joshue Arenas 48 hours to surface and surrender to the NBI or face arrest. It was not immediately clear where Arenas was arrested.

According to investigators, Arenas was at the Jan. 7 gathering in Tanza, Cavite, where Viña was gunned down by alleged gunman Medar Cruz.

NBI sources said Arenas was seen by witnesses carrying a gun and fleeing the scene after the shooting. It was not clear if he fired the gun.

Wycoco earlier said the NBI learned that Arenas and Cruz had asked Viña for authorization allowing them to carry guns but Viña refused.

The law allows licensed gun owners with police permits to carry firearms outside their residences. Viña once headed a police unit in Cavite.

Meanwhile, an NBI agent said yesterday they have sufficient evidence against Cruz.

"We have witnesses who saw him fire the gun. He also tested positive in the paraffin test, meaning he did fire a gun. All we need to establish now is the motive behind the shooting," he said, speaking on condition of anonymity. Cruz denied he was the gunman.

Another alleged witness in the Viña killing, Ternate postmaster Benjamin Tulabot, was found murdered Sunday in his rest house in Tanza.

Police are looking for two construction workers, tagged as the suspects. So far, Tulabot’s death does not appear to be connected to the Viña killing.

Police suspect the Viña killing may be connected to the 2000 murder of publicist Salvador "Bubby" Dacer and his driver Emmanuel Corbito.

Dacer and Corbito were abducted by several armed men on Nov. 24, 2000, at a busy intersection in Manila while heading for Dacer’s office at Manila Hotel.

The victims’ remains were found in Indang town, Cavite, on April 11 the following year.

Viña was among 22 suspects initially charged for the murders. He is scheduled to be buried today. – Mike Frialde