A traffic snarl led to the capture of five suspects linked to the killing of a policeman Sunday in Hinigaran, Negros Occidental, and the arrest yielded a cache of high-powered firearms and explosives.

The arrest took place half an hour after the shooting incident, Senior Supt. Milko Lirazan, provincial police director of Negros Occidental, said yesterday.

He said the five suspects were arrested after a brief chase by policemen in Hacienda Espinos, Brgy. Camandag, La Castellana, which is adjacent to Hinigaran town.

Four caliber Caspian, Colt, Norinco and Remington .45 caliber pistols, a 9mm Glock 17 machine pistol, four fragmentation grenades, 32 ammunition for a .45 caliber pistol, 203 ammunition for a 9mm pistol, eight gun magazines, two cellular phones without any SIM cards, and a shoulder bag, were seized from them, Lirazan said.

He also said the five suspects, identified as Michael Jancilan,37, and Roger Garilba Someros, 36, of Iloilo, Vicente Poleros, 36, and Eduardo Montano,43, of Escalante City, Negros Occidental, and Openiano Dolar of Kabankalan City, who were on board a Nissan Urban van, were trapped in traffic at Hacienda Espinos in La Castellana, when they were cornered by pursuing policemen of Hinigaran and Pontevedra, in coordination with the La Castellana police.

POLICEMAN SHOT DEAD

The suspects fled after shooting to death SPO2 Rex de los Reyes, of Molo, Iloilo City, at a beach resort in Brgy. Miranda, Hinigaran, at about 4 p.m. Sunday.

Lirazan said the killing of de los Reyes, who used to be assigned at the PNP Intelligence Group, may have been set up by the suspects.

De los Reyes, who was absent-without-leave after his transfer the Autonomous Regional for Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) in January last year, succumbed to multiple gunshot wounds; when he was shot by three of the five suspects.

One of the gunmen, trying to ensure he was dead, also shot him in the head, Lirazan said.

Eight empty shells of a .45 caliber pistol, PNP, AFPSLAI and firearms license identification cards, and the Honda Civic vehicle of the victim, were recovered at the crime scene.

ORGANIZED CRIME MEMBERS?

Lirazan said he believes the five arrested suspects are members of an organized crime group.

Chief Inspector Lino Dalisay, Hinigaran police chief, who led the filing of murder charges against the five suspects before the Negros Occidental Provincial Prosecutor’s Office, said they have received reports that Jancilan has a pending arrest warrant for murder, for the killing also of a policeman in Iloilo last year.

De los Reyes,43, who had alighted from his vehicle, was texting somebody at the beach resort in Hinigaran, when three of the five suspects, shot him without any provocation.

Before fleeing, one of the suspects broke the window of de los Reyes’ car and took a black bag from it.

VEHICLES TRACED

The red Nissan Urvan used by the suspects as a getaway vehicle was traced to have been owned by Arnel Arguelles, while the Honda Civic car used by de los Reyes was reported by the police to have been owned by a certain Ismael Dejecasion of Manduriao, Iloilo.

Police investigations also showed that de los Reyes had been charged in court for illegal possession of firearms in Antique, and linked to a robbery incident in Kalibo, Aklan, in 2008, before he was dismissed, but later reinstated to the police service.

As to reports that the arrested suspects are linked to drug syndicates, Dalisay said they are still validating them.

The suspects refused to issue any statement to the police, in connection with their alleged involvement in the killing of de los Reyes.

FIVE WITNESSES WILLING

Dalisay, however, said that they have five witnesses who will cooperate in the prosecution of the suspects.

Lirazan said they are still investigating the motive for the incident.

The five arrested suspects were brought to Camp Alfredo Montelibano Sr. in Bacolod City, for paraffin tests, and to subject the recovered firearms for ballistic examinations, after the filing of charges against them.

Dalisay said they will also file additional charges for illegal possession of firearms and explosives against the suspects.*GPB

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