Ex-con arrested over "canvasser's" murder

CEBU, Philippines - An ex-convict was arrested by the police after he was positively identified by at least one witness as the gunman who shot dead last week a canvasser working for an uptown pharmacy.

Albert Senining, 28, of Sitio Sto. Niño, Barangay Sambag II was earlier picked up by the team of Chief Insp. Bonifacio Garciano at his alleged safe house yesterday morning.

Garciano, chief of the Investigation and Detective Management Branch of the Cebu City Police Office, said there were at least two witnesses who saw Senining at the crime scene on the day Loe “Lupin” Mabitad was shot dead last week.

Garciano said Senining’s description fits with that of Mabitad’s gunman. He however explained that when Senining was seen by witnesses he was still sporting a long hair. According to Garciano, Senining could have had a haircut immediately after Mabitad’s murder. Garciano said when Senining was presented to witness he was positively identified as the gunman who killed Mabitad in front of the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center.

 Senining denied any involvement in the murder of Mabitad. He said he was on his way to defecate when the police arrived and took custody of him. He denied knowing Mabitad but his live-in partner Rosalie Bael Viajante told the police that the suspect and the victim were close friends.

“They knew each other because they work together as (medicine) canvassers,” Viajante said.

The suspect was convicted for vagrancy in 1997 and for drugs in 2003 wherein he was jailed for six months.  (FREEMAN)