Police hunt 3 more suspects in councilman's murder

MANILA, Philippines - Police intensified yesterday the massive manhunt operation of the remaining suspects in the New Year’s Day murder of a Caloocan City councilman, including the group’s suspected handler and financier.

Senior Superintendent Jude Santos, Caloocan City police chief, said Rogelio Manguni, alias Ro-ger Piano, a piano repairman, of Molave Street, Tondo, Manila, is now the subject of police manhunt apart from Rommel Oliva and Francis Bronjal.

Oliva and Bronjal are among the accused in the killing of Barangay 35 councilman Reynaldo Dagsa, 38, whose alleged gunman, Arnel Buenaflor, 26, and another suspect Michael Rollon, 27, were accidentally caught by the victim on his camera as he was taking pictures of his family in front of their house in Maypajo, Caloocan City while welcoming the New Year.

Buenaflor, his girlfriend Loraine Castro, 26, and Rollon and live-in partner Gina Enderes, 32, and another suspect Frederick Sales, were already arrested.

The text messages on Buenaflor’s recovered cell phone apparently showed Manguni’s connection to the suspected hired killers.

Through the text messages, police uncovered that Buenaflor and Rollon were also the prime suspects in the murder of Elpidio de Juan Jr., 42, a painter, during a street party along Molave Street in Tondo at around 8:30 p.m. on Dec. 31.

De Juan was killed while two others, Reynalda Uy, 30, and James Nagal, 10, were wounded when two motorcycle-riding gunmen fired at them.

Police said Manguni paid Buenaflor and Rollon P10,000 each for killing De Juan.

Inspector Rafael Melencio, chief investigator of the Manila Police District homicide section, yesterday said they were set to file formal charges of murder and two counts of frustrated murder against Buenaflor, Rollon and Manguni.

“We are just completing our documents for the immediate filing of charges against the suspects,” Melencio told The STAR.

He also cited the Caloocan City police for helping in the quick resolution of De Juan’s murder.

De Juan’s sister, 32-year-old Richel Capulong, said Manguni and his slain brother were neighbors on Molave Street but the latter suddenly disappeared when reports of Buenaflor and Rollon’s arrest came out.

“I just could not think of any reason why he would order the killing of my brother,” Capulong said. Santos said De Juan’s killing and Dagsa’s murder have no connection.