Escaped ‘NPA hitman’ arrested in Cebu City

An alleged hitman of the New People’s Army, who escaped his captors in Davao City was arrested yesterday noon in barangay Tinago, Cebu City.

James Bangot alias Jimboy and James Dublin was arrested by a joint team of elements from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-7 led by SPO1 Delfin Bontuyan and their counterparts from CIDG Region 11.

The suspect, who is a native of Toril, Davao City, reportedly slipped past his guards at the CIDG-11 detention cell in Davao City last December.

Bangot has s a warrant for his arrest issued by RTC-11 Branch 15 Presiding judge, Jesus Cuitain for murder. No bail has been recommended for the case.

Bontuyan told The Freeman that he received information about the suspect, who might be hiding somewhere here Cebu City since his grandmother lives here. One of the CIDG assets confirmed the presence of Bangot in barangay Tinago.

Bangot told The Freeman that he escape from the CIDG-11 detention cell last December 7. He said that he got worried for his safety, because he wanted to stand witness against his cohorts in the killing of an OB-Gyne physician four years ago.

He added that he had asked the police to take him as witness and put him under the witness protection program of the Department of Justice, but the policeman who he asked to help him did not keep his word.

According to Bangot, he was detained at the CIDG-11 cell for more than three years prompting him to escape.

Bangot was tagged as one of the four men who ambushed Dr. Agusto Alvarez in December 2002. Bangot named his cohorts as Constancio Ambuyan; Gonzalo Villarta, and the alleged man who hired them to kill Alvarez — Dario Malalis.

According to him, Malalis wanted Alvarez dead after his wife and baby died in the clinic of the physician during delivery.

A case has been filed before in court on the incident.

Bangot however vehemently denies his involvement with the NPA hit squad known as the ‘Sparrow Unit.’

He explained that he was hired as part of the group that killed Alvarez since he knew Villarta, who was a neighbor. Bangot claims that he was only a motorcycle for hire driver.

He said that Villarta is a former soldier and worked as a bodyguard of a prominent politician in Davao.

PO1 Jerry Alquisalas of the CIDG-11 told The Freeman that based on intelligence reports, Bangot is indeed a member of the NPA Sparrow Unit and are among those alleged involved in gun-for-hire activities in Davao.

Both Villarta and Ambuyan are now in jail after they were convicted for illegal possession of firearms and continue to wait for the resolution of the murder case. Malalis remains at large.

Bangot will be brought back to Davao City to face the charges. — Edwin Ian Melecio/NLQ