Cop "killer" nabbed in Mandaue City raid

CEBU, Philippines - One of the suspects in the killing of a rookie policeman in Balamban four months ago was arrested yesterday by police operatives in sitio Langob, Barangay Cubacub, Mandaue City.

Dwight Carmelotes, resident of Barangay Arpili, Balamban was arrested by the joint operatives of the Cebu Provincial Police Office and Mandaue City Police Office on the strength of an alias warrant for homicide issued in 2006 by Municipal Trial Court Judge Jocelyn Regencia.

Carmelotes was in the house of his live-in partner when he was arrested by the police during a raid yesterday morning.

The arrest warrant stemmed from a stabbing incident in Balamban five years ago wherein Carmelotes was one of the three accused. He was charged with homicide together with Tidong Carmelotes and Ronald Derit.

Carmelotes is also tagged as one of the killers of Police Officer 1 Romel Ruben Taping, a member of the Regional Public Safety Battalion 7 based in Sibonga town, who was shot dead in Arpili, Balamban last March.

Carmelotes allegedly served as lookout of the motorcycle-riding gunmen who shot Taping outside a videoke bar in sitio Riverside, Barangay Arpili. The police said they now have the identities of the two other suspects but they refused to divulge them to the media.

Carmelotes admitted he was around when Taping was shot but denied any involvement. According to him, it was his companion who shot the policeman because of personal grudge.

“Atraso ang hinungdan maong gipusil siya,” Carmelotes said.

Carmelotes is now detained at the Mandaue City Police Station 6 in Barangay Opao. (FREEMAN)