2 more suspects in Sino trader’s death fall

Police arrested yesterday two more suspects, including the alleged mastermind, in the killing of a Chinese trader and the wounding of his brother in front of their family-owned bakery in Sta. Cruz, Manila Wednesday night.

Western Police District-Homicide Section chief Chief Inspector Juanito Taluban said Juanito Medice, 22, the alleged mastermind, and his 17-year-old male accomplice were arrested by police operatives while they were about to flee from their hiding place in Sampaloc, Manila.

Police earlier arrested another 17-year-old companion of the two suspects after they reportedly shot Harvy Tan, 23, and his brother Dennis, 19, in front of Venus Bakery along Blumentritt st., Sta. Cruz, Manila. Harvy succumbed to multiple gunshot wounds in the body while being rushed to the Chinese General Hospital together with his brother. Doctors pronounced Dennis in serious but stable condition.

Investigator SPO2 Virgo Villareal said the two brothers were about to board their car when the three suspects armed with guns successively fired at the victims. The 17-year-old suspect was collared by barangay tanods and responding policemen after the shooting while the two suspects managed to escape. Recovered from the suspect was a caliber .357 revolver.

Villareal said an informant tipped him off of the whereabouts of the remaining suspects who were believed to be planning to flee to their hometown in Victoria, Northern Samar. Together with SPO4 Victor Mirapanum and Ernesto Jose and SPO1 Raul Olavario, Villareal cased a house on Ibarra street in Sampaloc where Medice’s mother is working as a helper and where the suspects are believed to have spent the night after the shooting.

After several hours of waiting, police operatives arrested the suspects as they emerged from the house. Recovered in Medice’s possession were a caliber .38 revolver with live bullets, and a clutch bag reportedly belonging to Dennis. The two 17-year-old suspects pointed to Medice, who worked as a helper in the Tan-owned bakery, as the one who planned the killing after he allegedly suffered maltreatment from the slain Tan.

Charges of robbery with homicide, frustrated homicide and illegal possession of firearms and ammunition were filed against the suspects. – Nestor Etolle