Negros gov wants deeper probe on lawman’s killing

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines – Saying “there is more” to the case, Negros Occidental Gov. Alfredo Marañon has ordered police authorities to dig deeper into last Sunday’s killing of a controversial policeman in Hinigaran town.

Five suspects in the killing of SPO2 Rex de los Reyes have been arrested and charged with murder. There is talk though that there is a sixth suspect, said to be a mayor’s son, who reportedly managed to escape.

“I have a feeling that the one who escaped is the one with the higher rank among them,” Marañon said.

Senior Superintendent Milko Lirazan, provincial police director, said he, too, got such an information, but that police units in Hinigaran, Pontevedra and La Castellana, who pursued the suspects, said only five were arrested.

Lirazan said they have “no witnesses” to support such supposed existence of a sixth suspect, adding though that they would “verify the reports.” 

On Monday, Lirazan said he believes that an organized crime group could be behind De los Reyes’ killing. Two of the suspects hail from Escalante City, tagged as an illegal gambling hot spot in the province.

Chief Inspector Lino Dalisay, Hinigaran police chief, identified the five suspects as Michael Jancilan, 37; Roger Garilba Someros, 36; Vicente Poleros, 36; Eduardo Montano, 43; and Openiano Dolar.

Dalisay said they would also file an additional case of illegal possession of firearms and explosives against the suspects, who yielded high-powered firearms and explosives when they were cornered after a 30-minute chase in a traffic snarl in La Castellana.

De los Reyes, who was shot dead in a Hinigaran beach resort, became controversial when he opposed an order from the Philippine National Police (PNP) transferring him to Mindanao.

He was dropped from the PNP roster, but managed to get a reinstatement. Records show he was removed from the Regional Public Safety Battalion in December 2012 and reassigned to the PNP Intelligence Group.

Investigation also showed that De los Reyes was charged with illegal possession of firearms in Antique, and was linked to a robbery in Kalibo, Aklan in 2008.