Police nab elusive slay suspect in Taguig

A man responsible for the death of two people and the wounding of another, was arrested last Tuesday after several years in hiding in Taguig City.

The suspect, Lino Buenaflor, 38, did not put up a fight when cornered by elements of the Regional Intelligence Special Operations Office (RISOO) of the National Capital Regional Police Office (NCRPO) at his hideout at 28 Kalayaan street Barangay Ususan at 6:45 p.m. last Tuesday.

"After several years of sleuthing, we finally bagged him," RISOO chief Superintendent Sotero Ramos said.

Ramos said Buenaflor was a sharpshooter and had the penchant of shooting his victims in the head.

The RISOO raiders, armed with three separate arrest warrants, swooped down at Buenaflor’s hideout after being tipped off by an informant of his presence.

Judge Jesus Bersamira, of the Pasig City Regional Trial Court Branch 166 issued a warrant against Buenaflor for the killing of Fermin Brogada and the wounding of Ronaldo Fernandez in separate incidents in Taguig City in 1996 and 2001, respectively.

Buenaflor was surveying the land owned by Brogada when he shot him in the head with a caliber .45 automatic pistol, Ramos said.

The RISOO chief said Brogada presented a certificate of land title to boost his claim to the land to which Buenaflor was also a claimant.

Bersamira recommended no bail against Buenaflor for the killing of Brogada. Buenaflor was also responsible for the shooting and seriously wounding of Fernandez, who had an altercation with his relative in Taguig City in 2001.

"Nabatukan lang ni Fernandez ang pamangkin niya, eh binaril niya kaagad sa ulo," said Ramos.

Ramos said Judge Luis Tongco, of the RTC Branch 155 in Pasig CIty also issued a warrant of arrest against Buenaflor for a homicide case also in Taguig City.

Tongco recommended a P40,000 fail for Buenaflor’s temporary liberty.

Buenaflor’s neighbors thanked RISOO operatives for the arrest of the suspect, who was also involved in illegal activities in their neighborhood.

"Salamat at nahuli siya para matigil na ang kawalanghiyaan niya dito sa aming lugar," one neighbor said.

Ramos said Buenaflor owned up to all the cases attributed to him.

He is now detained at the RISOO detention center in Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City, pending the transfer of his custody to the judges who issued his arrest warrants. – Non Alquitran