Dismissed utility man arrested for HS principal's murder

MANILA, Philippines - Police arrested a dismissed utility man after a witness identified him as the alleged gunman in the ambush of a Caloocan City public high school principal two weeks ago.

Caloocan City police chief Senior Superintendent Jude Santos said Bonifacio Salvador, 37, a former utility man of Bagong Silang High School (BSHS), is also a relative of a ranking official at the same school.

Salvador was charged with murder Thursday before the office of Caloocan City assistant prosecutor Darwin Canete with no bail recommended, Santos said.

BSHS principal Reynaldo Yamsuan, 59, was driving home to Barangay Sto. Niño in Meycauayan, Bulacan, when he was waylaid in Sampaguita Subdivision in Barangay 175 at around 5:30 p.m. on Nov. 24.

A resident told police he was only about 10 meters away when Yamsuan was ambushed, and he pointed to Salvador as the alleged triggerman.

Yamsuan succumbed to six bullet wounds in different parts of the body from a .45 caliber pistol.

Santos said the gunman only intended to execute the victim as he left Yamsuan’s P11,800, laptop and other valuables untouched.

Santos said Yamsuan sacked Salvador after linking him to several robberies in their school.

A team led by Chief Inspector Reydante Ariza, Caloocan City police Sub-station 5 commander, arrested Salvador at a school in Novaliches, Quezon City, were he worked as an electrician after his dismissal from BSHS.

Chief Inspector Rodrigo Soriano, Caloocan City police intelligence and investigation chief, said they are also looking into reports that Salvador’s relative at BSHS had an argument with Yamsuan the day he was ambushed.

The BSHS official’s husband, Soriano said, has disappeared from their house after Yamsuan’s murder.

“We now have the alleged triggerman, next would be the brains,” Soriano said.