Caloocan murder suspect arrested

Police arrested a 20-year-old murder suspect during an operation in Caloocan City Friday after more than two years in hiding.

Senior Inspector Rodrigo Soriano, Caloocan City Hall security department chief, identified the suspect as Rolando Acosta Jr., a resident of Barangay 28 also in Caloocan.

Acosta was accused of killing Roberto Barcelona on the night of Dec. 24, 2005. Soriano said Acosta, with three other suspects, shot Barcelona dead with an improvised shotgun. He went into hiding after the incident.

At around 5:45 p.m. Friday, Soriano was informed that Acosta was sighted on C-3 Road in Barangay 28.

Soriano led a five-man team to verify the report and chanced upon the suspect near a gas station on C-3 Road.

Meanwhile, police are hunting down Eufronio Alger, a resident of Second Avenue, Caloocan City for allegedly killing a neighbor during a drinking spree before dawn yesterday.

Domingo Escalante, 54, died of a bullet wound in the head at around 2:30 a.m. Police said Alger and Escalante were having a drinking session with their friend, Manuel Flores, when the shooting occurred.

Flores told police that Escalante shot Alger during a heated argument. Alger fled after the incident. – Pete Laude