Groom arrested right after wedding

CEBU, Philippines - What could have been the beginning of a ‘happily ever after’ turned out to be the start of a couple’s journey through despair.

The couple exchanged vows in front of family and friends at the Our Lady of Sorrows Parish Church in Ronda town early yesterday morning, unmindful of the movements behind the church walls.

The kiss that sealed their marriage was what sealed the end of the groom’s time as a fugitive of the law.

With all exits of the church blocked, members of the Argao police swooped down on the groom, Angelito Tanaid, 39, by virtue of a warrant issued by the Regional Trial Court for four counts of attempted murder.

“Gikasal man diay mao to amo na lang gipaabot nga mahuman ang seremonyas una namo siya dakpa... nakabarong pa gani siya (We learned he was getting married so we decided to just wait for the ceremony to end before arresting him),” Argao Police Station chief Alejandro Batobalonos told The FREEMAN.

Batobalonos said Tanaid had eluded arrest five times.

“Daan na man gud ni siya nga di gyud magpadakop kay wala kuno siya’y ikapyansa nga P480,000 sa four counts of attempted murder niya nga kaso kay tag-P120,000 man ang kada usa (He has been eluding arrest because he could not afford the P480,000 bail for four counts of attempted murder. Each count requires P120,000),” he said.

Tanaid’s bride could only cry when her husband was arrested.

“Nagyaka na lang tawn to sa simbahan unya nagkagubot na man pagsikop namo kay diha man ang paryente sa duha pero kahibalo na gud nang daan ang asawa nga naay kaso ang suspek (She could only sit on the floor when we arrested the husband but she already knew about the cases he is facing),” Batobalonos said.

Tanaid was once a member of a gun-for-hire group in Barangay Anahaw in 2009. The group was involved in the killing of Police Officer 1 Julius Amarillo in 2004 but the members were cleared from charges two years later when a certain Nicanor Antiga surrended in 2006.

Tanaid, unfortunately, was tagged by the victims of other shooting incidents, thus, the attempted murder charges. — /JMO (FREEMAN)