Murder suspect  arrested in Tisa

A murder suspect who was hiding from the law for the past seven years was arrested for allegedly causing trouble during a benefit dance in sitio San Pedro in barangay Tisa Saturday evening.

Sr. Insp. Michael Anthony Bastes, chief of the Theft and Robbery Section of the Cebu City Police Office, identified the suspect as Victor Laborte, who was tagged in the murder of a pedicab driver in 2000.

The pedicab driver, identified only as “Tonyo,” died after he was stabbed several times allegedly by Laborte and his cohorts identified as Creseldo Nanoy and Allan Abarquez.

Nanoy and Abarquez had already been arrested in 2003 by SPO1 Marlon Mendoza and PO3 Jeffrey Diola.

It was Diola who also arrested Laborte after receiving a call from his older brother, SPO2 Herbert Diola, about the presence of the suspect at the benefit dance.

Backed by PO2 Pompie Tañajura, Diola went to the place and arrested Laborte and brought him to Camp Sotero Cabahug.

Bastes said Laborte, Nanoy and Abarquez immediately went into hiding after killing “Tonyo” in barangay Tisa. A warrant of arrest had been issued against them by Regional Trial Court Judge Galicano Ariesgado.

Laborte admitted to The Freeman to have conspired with Nanoy and Abarquez in the killing of “Tonyo.” But he said the incident happened when the victim started attacking them. — Edwin Ian Melecio/LPM