A former civilian agent tagged as the prime suspect in the fatal shooting of the nephew of former House Speaker Prospero Nograles about five years ago was apprehended at about 6 p.m. Thursday at Nueva Street in Bacolod.

Police Officer 3 Celito Dullan, case investigator, identified the one arrested as Romeo Soriba, 53, of Alunan-Yulo, Brgy. 16, Bacolod.

Soriba was apprehended on the strength of an arrest warrant for murder issued by Regional Trial Court Branch 41 Judge Ray Alan Drilon, who denied him bail.

His arrest was made by the Warrant and Subpoena section of Bacolod Police and the Regional Intelligence Unit 6.

Soriba allegedly shot Baily Magallanes, 28, of Rizal Street, Pontevedra town, Negros Occidental at about 10:20 p.m. on September 17, 2008, police record showed.

Magallanes, a registered nurse, was hit in his back and was declared dead on arrival at the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital, police records show.

Former Station 1 commander, Chief Insp. Luisito Acebuche said Magallanes was shot after a verbal spat near the billiard hall at Nueva Street.

Pilar Magallanes, his mother said they are now at peace because, finally, her son’s killer has been arrested.

Meanwhile, murder charges were filed against two men, one of them a barangay Kagawad, for the fatal shooting of a businessman in Brgy. Taculing, Bacolod City Sunday.

The charges were filed against Tomas Libo-on, 58, of Brgy. Taculing and Kagawad Nelson Viñas, 68, of Purok Singko Brgy. 41, Bacolod, City Police Director Senior Supt. Ricardo de la Paz, said.

De la Paz said they filed the murder charges against the two as, based on the accounts of the eye witnesses it appeared that the killing of Ricardo Pugoy, “alias Nonoy”, of Brgy. 27was premeditated.

Viñas surrendered to de la Paz Monday and said he shot Pugoy in self-defense while Libo-on surrendered to Polines and ABS-CBN Wednesday.*APN

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