The police have arrested four barangay officials - a village chief and three barangay councilmen - and two village watchmen who were implicated in the killing of a mango plantation owner in an east coast village of this city, the local police reported Wednesday.
The police identified the arrested officials as Pedro Rodriguez, barangay captain of Tolosa; Kagawads Bonifacio Bello, Reinerio Galcing, and Florante Mendoza; and, Barangay Intelligence Network members Joseph Nazareno and Rene Ferrer.
The Zamboanga City Police Office' (ZCPO) Police Station 3 tagged them as the suspects in the killing of Mercidito Santos, a mango farm owner.
The police reported that Santos was found dead last Sunday night in a ravine in Cacao, 17 kilometers east of this city, which is an adjacent barangay of Tolosa.
Investigation showed that Santos, before he was found dead, was arrested by the two BIN members - Nazareno and Ferrer - early Sunday.
The police said that Santos arrived home Sunday night with a wound in his neck and sought the help of his sister.
The police said the victim’s sister sought the assistance of Rodriguez to bring her brother to the hospital.
However, Rodriguez and the other suspects claimed that they were ambushed by an unidentified gunman along the way and that Santos was hit.
The suspects claimed they have abandoned their motorcycles and ran for safety.
The responding policemen however noted that there was no sign of ambush while Santos was found dead a few meters away from the suspects' motorcycles.
The police said the barangay officials and village watchmen were subjected for inquest proceeding Wednesday before the City Prosecutor's Office. (PNA)
Linkback:
https://tubagbohol.mikeligalig.com/index.php?topic=37349.0
Topic: Mango Farm Owner Mercidito Santos of Zamboanga Slain (Read 725 times)