NBI to probe Arrogante killing

The Nation Bureau of Investigation will investigate the killing of Daanbantayan businessman Renerio “Gogong” Arrogante III after a request from the victim’s family.

The request was made yesterday by Falaviano “Boy” Roxas, the brother-in-law of victim, who said that although they trust the police, they prefer the NBI to carry out the investigation.

Arrogante, who ran but lost in his bid for municipal councilor during the 2007 elections, was killed inside Main Road Square, an establishment he owned located in barangay Poblacion, Daanbantayan Sunday morning.

The assailant approached Arrogante and shot him while he was talking to his wife and son.  After the shooting, the assailant reportedly walked away casually, brandishing his .45 cal. Pistol, toward a companion who waited on a dark Yamaha Krypton motorcycle. They fled towards barangay Pajo. 

Witnesses, including the victim’s wife, were able to see the faces of both the shooter and the driver of the motorcycle.  Another witness reportedly saw the gunman near the crime scene last Saturday selling shoes. The witness was able to identify the perpetrator since the man reportedly wore the same shirt the time he shot Arrogante.

Senior Supt. Vicente Loot, head of the Regional Human Resource Division of the Police Regional Office-7, and husband of Daanbantayan Vice Mayor Maria Luisa Loot has threatened to file a libel case against anybody that will implicate his family in the killing of Arrogante.

Loot said Arrogante was never a threat to his family even when he filed a bigamy case against them because he believed that Arrogante was just used by politicians.

Arrogante accused Maria Luisa of still being married to Rolando Nicandro at the time she married Loot in 1991.  He said Luisa and Nicandro were married on May 23, 1980, by Judge Marcelino Escalona. Arrogante also accused Loot of being married to the daughter of a general when he married Maria Luisa.

Maria Luisa, however, was able to prove that Nicandro was already married to another woman when she married the police official in civil rites.

Loot was able to prove that his marriage to a general’s daughter had been annulled before he got married again.

Cebu Provincial Police Office deputy director for operations P/Supt. Erson Digal said the police will still investigate the case even if the family has requested the NBI to investigate.

Daanbantayan police chief Sr. Insp. Jovito Canlapan yesterday said they are investigating all angles into the killing.

“Lahat na angles ay tinitingnan natin kasama na ang politics, business at lahat,” Canlapan said, adding that they have already the witnesses ready to give the description of the gunman before they could release the cartographic sketch.

Daanbantayan Mayor Sun Shimura, son of Maria Luisa, said he wants the killer caught quickly as he is worried this incident will become another issue against his family.  — Jose P. Sollano and Garry B. Lao/BRP