Four suspects charged in slay of cop at SRP

The Talisay City Prosecutor's Office yesterday filed charges against four men believed responsible for the killing of a policeman near the baywalk of the South Reclamation Project early this month. Talisay City prosecutor Marshall Rubia filed charges of robbery with homicide against John Irish Daan, Ismael Secretaria and two unidentified persons who were allegedly responsible for robbing and killing SPO2 Teofanes Castro.

Daan and Secretaria were positively identified by the lone witness, Minerva Villaro, who was with Castro when the latter was robbed and killed on March 9 at around 11:00 p.m. near the SRP baywalk in barangay San Roque, Talisay City.

Villaro said Castro invited her and another woman to the SRP "to catch some fresh air and enjoy sea viewing at night" when the accused suddenly emerged from their back and lunged at the victim who was caught off guard.

Daan allegedly shot to death Castro using a firearm of unknown caliber hitting the latter at the left side of his face. Villaro said that after Castro fell on the ground, Daan leveled his firearm at her prompting her to run away.

Daan together with Secretaria and two others who served as lookouts allegedly took Castro's 9-millimeter service firearm, mobile phone and several other documents including his pay slips.

Two days after the incident, the Talisay City policemen on a hot pursuit operation arrested the accused and recovered from one of them the service firearm of the victim. The prosecutor's office did not recommend bail for the temporary liberty of the accused who are now detained at the Talisay City Jail. - Fred P. Languido