The surrender of another fugitive ex-policeman, linked to the kidnap-slay of former Bacolod Brgy. Capt. Eleuterio Salabas and his two companions in 2003, brought to five the number of former police officers accounted for by authorities, almost nine years after the commission of the crime, police records show.

Former Police Officer 2 Dennis Belandres, gave himself up to a barangay official of Inayawan, Cauayan on Good Friday, after he figured in another fatal shooting incident in the place, a day earlier.

Belandres who has a standing arrest warrant for arbitrary detention and murder, surrendered to Inayawan Barangay Capt. Johnny Arroz, who immediately endorsed him to the Cauayan Police Station, saying, that he is already tired of hiding from the authorities.

Arroz, in an interview with MBC Aksyon Radyo, said Belandres, with thealias of Tata Mendoza, who has been hiding in Sitio Tambo, Brgy. Inayawan, Cauayan, for more than two years, said he will face the consequence of his action, and the cases filed against him.

Belandres allegedly shot dead with a .45 caliber pistol a certain John Rey Reyes,24, in Sitio Tambo, Brgy. Inayawan, Cauayan, in an incident allegedly triggered by drunkenness, Chief Inspector Romeo Leyte said, in his report to the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office.

Reyes, who was hit in his front and back, was declared dead on arrival at the Cauayan District Hospital, Belandres immediately fled after the incident.

Belandres and ex-PO2 Ruel Villacanas, who is also at-large and charged for the kidnap-slay of Salabas, Maximo Lomoljo and Ricardo Suganob, were also implicated in the fatal shooting of a certain Ruliben Leganipa, 20, in Hacienda Bilbao, Brgy. Punta Mesa, Manapla in May 2007, police records also show.

Before to the surrender of Belandres, four other kidnap-slay suspects identified as former police officers Clarence Dongail, Jimmy Fortaleza, Bonifer Gotas and Freddie Natividad had been accounted for by the police.

Belandres used to be assigned at the Bacolod City Police Office, with seven other former police officers who are respondents in the kidnap-slay charges. Still at-large are Vicente Ponteras, George Bajelot Jonathan Lorilla,, Allen Winston Hulleza, Nelson Grijaldo and Bernard Cimatu and Villacanas.

Belandres is now detained at the Cauayan Police Station Jail.* GPB

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