Suspect in TV director’s slay falls

National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) agents have taken into custody the suspect in the killing of an ABS-CBN TV director following an operation in Marikina City last Sunday.

Oliver Jameiro, a 32-year-old businessman engaged in the buy and sell trade, was arrested while he was visiting his three children at his former girlfriend’s house on Miguelito street in Barangay Sto. Niño, Marikina.

Jameiro, the primary suspect in the killing of Luis "Luigi" Santiago, director of the weekly horror show "Nginiig," surrendered peacefully to NBI agents, who had reportedly acted on a tip from informants.

NBI-NCR Director Edmund Arugay said the bureau’s Reaction, Arrest and Interdiction Division (RAID) and Background Investigation Division (BID) went to the house in Marikina at 5:30 p.m. to apprehend Jameiro.

"An informant told us that Jameiro was in the house. When the NBI agents identified themselves, he voluntarily went with them," Arugay said.

The suspect said he had long wanted to surrender for the shooting incident at the Makati bar last June 8. The incident resulted in the death of Santiago and the wounding of six others, including a policeman.

Arugay clarified that there was no standing arrest warrant against Jameiro.

At the NBI office, a security officer and bouncer of the Venezia Bar positively identified him as the one who fired shots following an altercation outside the bar.

Arugay said they did not present Jameiro to media since the suspectwas still conferring with his lawyer and was preparing his "confessional statement."

Jameiro’s mother Josie said her son had long wanted to give himself up to the NBI because he feared for his life.

The NBI is now coordinating with the Makati City police and the National Capital Region Police Office, the lead agencies in the investigation of the Santiago slay.

Both are expected to file appropriate charges against Jameiro today.

In an interview, Jameiro told ABS-CBN news that during the early morning of June 8, he was leaving the bar at the Glorietta Mall in Makati City when he saw a couple fighting and intervened.

"I told the man not to hurt the woman," he said.

Jameiro said the man and a male companion then ganged up on him. He said one of those who punched him was Santiago.

While being punched and kicked, Jameiro said he was able to crawl back to his frosted mocha Toyota Hi-lux pick-up truck (XTW-280).

Jameiro said someone then gave him a gun then went back to confront his attackers.

He first fired several shots in the air then hit Santiago in the throat.

Six other persons were wounded in the shooting incident, namely Makati police officer Senior Inspector Merquiodi Bodanio; Althea Arvisa, 21; bar disc jockey Arnel Genterrone, 32; Gerald Nicloas, 30; Charlieton Yu, 30; and Mary Ann Sansano, 24.

The suspect claimed he threw the gun into a plant box and ran.

Police have yet to recover the Glock pistol used in the shooting.

A security officer said he saw Jameiro get into the pickup truckthen drove away.