Suspected shooter of Naga barangay captain's hubby falls

CEBU, Philippines - National Bureau of Investigation agents yesterday arrested a barangay councilman of San Fernando town for his alleged involvement in the killing of the husband of a barangay captain in Naga City last June 4.

NBI-7 executive officer Ernesto Macabare said Barangay Sangat, San Fernando, councilman Jay Niño Castañares, 28, was arrested by his men after a witness positively identified him as among those who ambushed and killed Florante Gudoy.

The armed men attacked the victim while the latter was driving his Ford Everest SUV together with his wife, Cantao-an, Naga, barangay captain Fe Gudoy and tanod Feleciano Bacalio Jr..

They had just left the victory party of Naga City mayor-elect Valdemar Chiong around 10 p.m.

Bacalio positively identified Castañares as among the three men on a motorcycle who overtook their vehicle and quickly fired shots at them.

Macabare said the NBI agents went to Castañares’ house in Barangay Sangat, San Fernando, yesterday, and Bacalio positively identified him as the shooter of Gudoy.

Castañares’ face also matched the cartographic sketch prepared by the NBI based on the testimonies of the eyewitness.

Macabare said Castañares even tried to pull out his .45 cal. pistol upon realizing he was going to be arrested but he was subdued and disarmed by the lawmen.

The gun recovered from Castañares will be subjected to ballistics testing to help investigators determine whether it was really the weapon used to kill Gudoy.

Macabare said his men also seized some drug paraphernalia and shabu from the suspect who was quickly brought to the NBI regional office.

He added that the possible cases that Castañares will be facing are murder, illegal possession of firearms and possession of shabu.

Gudoy’s wife earlier claimed that she believes that the motive for killing of her husband has something to do with politics but Castañares denied he had anything to do with the death of her husband.

“Wa ko kahibaw ana Ma’am,” he told her.

But the tanod insisted that it was Castañares who shot Gudoy.

The NBI is set to file murder charges against the San Fernando barangay official. — Rene U. Borromeo and Mylen P. Manto/BRP (THE FREEMAN)