Another suspect in Cinco slay arrested

Another suspect in the Nov. 20 slay of Commission on Elections information chief Velma Cinco was arrested the other day in Batangas, the police said.

The suspect identified as Conrado Robles, 47, reportedly a former casual employee of the Comelec, was arrested by a combined team of Manila policemen and agents of the National Bureau of Investigation near his house in Barangay Malakimpok, San Pascual, Batangas.

Confiscated from him was an unlicensed caliber .32 handgun. Robles, however, claims that his gun was covered by a mission order. The NBI is now checking this out.

An investigator of the case said yesterday they are now rushing to fortify their case against Robles before he posts bail for illegal possession of a firearm. The investigator also declined to say what was Robles’ exact involvement in the case.

"At the moment we are still strengthening the case against him before he files for bail," said the investigator.

Sources at the NBI have earlier said that at least two suspects in the murder case were arrested in a Southern Tagalog province.

According to another NBI source, Robles matched a police cartographic sketch based on descriptions of witnesses. Witnesses also have reportedly identified him as the alleged lookout for the triggermen.

Robles was charged with illegal possession of firearms in the Department of Justice late Thursday night.

Initial investigation by the NBI showed that Robles was a casual employee at the Comelec’s Education and Information Department whose appointment was not renewed when Cinco took over as chief.

Cinco, 63, officer-in-charge of the Comelec’s EID was being driven by her son Carlo, 37 from their house in Sta. Ana to her work at about 8 a.m. aboard her red Kia car with plate number TDR-779 when their way was blocked by the two gunmen aboard a motorcycle at the corner of Eden and Pedro Gil streets.

The suspects immediately opened fire with 9 mm pistols. Cinco was hit several times in the face and body. Carlo sustained two bullet wounds in the left arm.

Velma’s 47-year-old sister, Marian Jayme, who was seated at the car’s backseat was unhurt during the attack and later managed to execute an affidavit before the police. In her affidavit, Jayme said her sister received several threats from a certain "Director Matibag" of the Comelec. Former Comelec information chief Angelina Matibag later denied any involvement with Cinco’s murder.

After shooting the victim, the suspects quickly sped-off towards President Quirino Avenue.

Velma was rushed to the Manila Doctors Hospital but was declared dead on arrival. Her son was taken to the Philippine General Hospital.

Comelec chair Alfredo Benipayo said that Cinco’s death was "job related."

The NBI earlier invited for questioning Laverne Manzano, a clerk at the Comelec’s EID who was allegedly hired by Matibag to serve as her "back-up" bodyguard. Seized from him was a licensed 9 mm Ruger pistol. — Mike Frialde