Suspect in Bicol cop’s murder identified

LEGAZPI CITY – The suspect in the killing of Superintendent Vicente Mendenilla is now under the custody of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG).

""This was just an ordinary killing solved by our policemen from Camarines Sur provincial office under Senior Superintendent Romeo Mapalo and Police Superintendent Ireneo Inal of CIDG-Bicol," said Chief Superintendent Ricardo Padilla, Bicol police regional director, during a press conference at Camp General Simeon Ola yesterday morning.

Padilla said the killing cannot be attributed to politics or the New People’s Army (NPA).

Probers said Medenilla and a certain Melba Pagao y Morano, 27, of Corazon Subdivision in Barangay Concepcion Grande in Naga City stayed overnight at his resort, which is still under construction in Barangay Binanuahan in Pili. However, at about 4 a.m. on Sunday, Mendenilla was shot. Pagao surrendered and is now under the custody of the CIDG.

Mendenilla was assigned at the Police Community Relations (PCR) at the CIDG in Camp Crame, Quezon City and head of the CIDG’s Task Force Anti-Pyramiding Scam, a multi-level financial investment scheme that duped thousands of people, mostly soldiers and policemen.