One of three suspects in the killing of a Mandaue City policeman early dawn last Sunday was arrested in barangay Day-as, Cebu City yesterday afternoon.
Lauro ‘Jogro’ Lumapas, the prime suspect in the killing of SPO1 Pedro Sucion and the wounding of PO2 Darius Conejos at the Mandaue Reclamation Area, was arrested along with Jonathan Samson.
Samson is not however a suspect in the incident at Mandaue City, but was picked up for illegal possession of firearms.
Lumapas, 24, owned up to the crime and said that he was the one who shot both policemen contrary to earlier reports that it was perpetrated by two men. He said that he was forced to shoot because he was worried that the policemen would kill him.
He also said that his only companion during that incident was his prison buddy Leo ‘Botet’ de la Victoria, who remains at large.
The third suspect, Niño Bacasero was reportedly not involved.
Lumapas said that he and de la Victoria robbed taxi driver Arnel Quibot at FF Cruz St. near the Cebu International Convention Center and then he fired his gun before fleeing the scene on board a tricycle.
He also said that he was the only one who had a weapon so it was impossible for de la Victoria to have shot the policemen.
Lumapas also alleged that he bore a grudge against Sucion, who died on the spot, because the policeman planted evidence during one of his previous arrests so he would go to jail.
The arrested suspect was once committed to the National Penitentiary in Muntinlupa. He met de la Victoria while doing time at the Mandaue City Jail, he said.
As proof of their friendship, Lumapas has tattooed de la Victoria’s name on his back.
After going in an out of jail five times, Lumapas said that he and de la Victoria formed a group and committed several robberies.
In fact, there are pending warrants of arrest for both Lumapas and de la Victoria and even Bacasero.
The Arrest
Lumapas was arrested by a team led by Insp. Renerio Cortes, chief of the Investigation and Detective Management Branch of the MCPO.
The suspect was eating at the time of his arrest and immediately gave up. A .38 caliber revolver was found in his possession.
He reportedly started staying in Day-as a week ago when he rented the room where he was arrested at.
Police said that they first were taken to a wild goose chase when informants told them that Lumapas was at a pension house in the downtown area.
When the police team got there, they found out that he already left reportedly for barangay Tayud, Consolacion, but they could not also find him there.
PO3 Protacio Tago, a member of the team tracking the suspect, said that at 2 p.m. they received information that Lumapas was in barangay Day-as so they immediately went there and hit pay dirt.
The .38 caliber pistol taken from Lumapas is believed to have been the murder weapon. A snub nose .38 caliber revolver was also found in the possession of Samson, who was also just renting a room in the same house where Lumapas was arrested.
The ballistics report of the PNP Crime Laboratory, however, shows that two guns were used against the policemen – a .38 caliber and a .22 caliber.
Lumapas insists that de la Victoria was unarmed and added that they split ways after fleeing the crime scene last Sunday.
Reward
Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes congratulated the policemen for the speedy arrest of Lumapas.
He said that he is now contemplating on giving them a P50 thousand reward, which is sort of a softening of his stance as he said the other day that he is opposed to the plan of the city council to offer a P100 thousand reward for information that would lead to the arrest of the suspects.
Cortes however said that the priority will still be giving assistance to the family of Sucion.
He added that the city will also give Sucion’s daughter, Fritz Charisse, a second year Nursing student at the University of the Visayas, a scholarship grant.
Conejos, who is still recuperating from the wounds he sustained, will also be getting financial assistance from the city said Cortes.
The incident also prompted the city government to purchase new firearms for the police force. Cortes said that those who were responsible for the arrest of Lumapas will be given priority in the issuance of new guns.
The city has also assigned more vehicles to the police force.
Amended Charges
Mandaue City police director Rodel Calungsud said that they will have to amend the information of the robbery, frustrated murder and murder cases they are set to file today against Lumapas and his cohorts.
This is due to the admission of Lumapas and also the fact that he claimed that there were only two of them who were responsible for the crimes committed.
Only Lumapas and de la Victoria will be charged. — (/NLQ)