The former policeman wanted for the kidnapping and murder of Brgy. Phanocoy Captain Eluterio Salabas and three others in 2003 who was nabbed in of Los Baños town, Laguna is linked to an organized drug syndicate, town police head, Chief Insp. Conrado Magsongsong, said yesterday.

Magsongsong said that former Senior Insp. Bonifer Gotas is still under their custody and will be transferred to the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology.

He said Gotas’ group is a dealer of shabu not only in Laguna but also in neighboring towns and provinces and their supply comes from a Filipino Chinese inmate of the Philippine National Penitentiary in Muntinlupa City.

Gotas and his companions Nolan Marcelo, 47 and Nora Velasquez, were arrested by the police in a drug buy-bust operation in Brgy. Bambang, Los Baños City Tuesday after three days of surveillance.

The arrest happened after one of them allegedly handed a sachet of suspected shabu to police poseur-buyer in exchange for P25,000.

Meanwhile, Bacolod City Police Director Senior Supt. Ricardo de la Paz denied reports that other wanted policemen and civilians who are wanted for the slay of Suganob, Maximo Lomoljo and Ricardo Suganob are in the city.

De la Paz said if the suspects are indeed in Bacolod, they will have no choice but to enforce the law fairly and without favor and will arrest them.

He said that the wanted policemen will not show up in Bacolod because they know that they have arrest warrants.

Other suspects Chief Inspectors Clarence Dongail and Jimmy Fortaleza, and Senior Police Senior Police Officer 2 Freddie Natividadwere already meted 120 years prison terms by the Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 27 in April last year, for their alleged participation in the kidnapping and the murder of Salabas, Suganob and Lomoljo while Another suspect, former Kagawad Elson Canete, 49, of Brgy. 2, Bacolod and now a resident of Tongoy village in Brgy. Bata, in the city was also arrestedlast year.*APN

back to top