Alleged cop killer nabbed in Caloocan

Police authorities collared Wednesday one of three suspected hired killers who murdered a police officer allegedly on orders of a drug lord two years ago in Caloocan City.

City police chief Senior Superintendent Benjardi Mantele identified the suspect as Romeo Malapo, 42, residing at 400 BMBA Compound on Fourth Avenue.

Reports said Malapo was arrested by police operatives not far from his residence by virtue of a warrant of arrest issued by Judge Bayani Rivera of Caloocan City Regional Trial Court Branch 129. No bail was recommended for his temporary liberty.

Malapo’s apprehension was based on information received by the police from a relative of the victim who later positively identified Malapo as one of the killers.

It was gathered that the arrested suspect, together with Vicente Bangcayao and Rolando de Guzman, who are both still at-large, allegedly shot and killed last June 3, 2000 PO1 Ronaldo Andres, who was detailed at the Caloocan City police station.

An intelligence report showed the suspects were apparently hired by a drug lord known to the police only by the name of "Vicente" to assassinate Andres for P75,000 after the latter allegedly disclosed the drug lord’s involvement in illegal drug trafficking.

Meanwhile, a 50-year-old man was stabbed at least 19 times by a group of suspected drug addicts inside his room in a Novaliches apartment, the police said.

Victim Ramon Ong, a resident of 1-246 of City Smile Homes, Sabarte Subdivision, Barangay Kaligayahan, Novaliches, sustained stab wounds in the head and body.

The killers, all suspected drug addicts who managed to get inside Ong’s locked apartment, fled right after the killing, taking with them the fatal weapons. Police have ruled out robbery as no valuables were missing.– Jerry Botial and Matthew Estabillo