Palawan lawyer slay suspect charged

CAMP VICENTE LIM, Laguna, Philippines — A former soldier tagged in the killing of a lawyer in Narra, Palawan last week has been arrested and charged with murder.

Jazer Rey del Rosario, 38, a casual employee of the Quezon municipal government, also in Palawan, was apprehended at his hideout in Barangay Alfonso 13 on Sunday night, Col. Nolasco Torre III, Palawan police director,  said yesterday.

Torre said Del Rosario underwent inquest proceedings at the provincial prosecutor’s office on Tuesday.

Del Rosario was said to be one of the motorcycle-riding men who shot Eric Jay Magcamit based on footage of surveillance cameras at the scene of the crime. He is said to be a member of a gun-for-hire gang.

Probers are eyeing a land dispute as the motive for the killing.

Person of interest

Meanwhile, police have a person of interest in the killing of Cebu City lawyer Joey Luis Wee on Monday.

“We have a person of interest and the motive was related to his job,” Philippine National Police chief Gen. Debold Sinas said.

Wee was walking to his office in Barangay Kasambagan when he was shot.

Sinas said he spoke with officials of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines and offered its members easy access for license to own and permit to carry guns for their protection.

”We also told them to coordinate with the police and never to take chances on their safety because we can’t check on them hourly especially if they won’t report any threat to their lives,” he said.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra gave assurance that the government is ”very much concerned” about the crimes committed against members of the legal profession.

“The NBI is working hard on the investigation... More field operatives have been deployed in Palawan and Cebu to intensify their hunt for the perpetrators of these treacherous crimes,” Guevarra said.

“While these are generally considered to be part of the hazards of the profession, the government is committed to bring the perpetrators of these crimes before the bar of justice,” he added.