Cop tagged in Bulacan mayor’s slay surrenders

CAMP OLIVAS, Pampanga — A policeman charged in the 2000 killing of the mayor of Doña Remedios Trinidad, Bulacan and two others, including another policeman, has surrendered to Sen. Richard Gordon and Chief Superintendent Alejandro Lapinid, Central Luzon police director.

The suspect, PO1 Rodelio de la Torre, tagged as one of Central Luzon’s most wanted criminals with a P350,000 bounty on his head, revealed that his alleged accomplice, a certain PO3 Felix Valencia, has fled to the United States.

Valencia also carried a P350,000 prize on his head, Camp Olivas officials said.

Lapinid said De la Torre and Valencia are the principal suspects in the gunslaying of then Doña Remedios Trinidad mayor Esteban Paulino, his driver Jim Mariel Venturina, and police escort PO1 Teofilo Avellanosa on Dec. 2, 2000 in Barangay Baybay in Angat, Bulacan.

"The two are included in the list of most wanted persons in Central Luzon," Lapinid said.

He said De la Torre gave himself up after law enforcers were able to locate all the safehouses where he had stayed since the killing.

Apparently feeling cornered and upon the pleadings of his relatives in Olongapo City, De la Torre sent surrender feelers to the police and asked that Gordon be around during his surrender to ensure his safety.

He finally yielded last Thursday to Inspector David Poklay, Central Luzon police intelligence head, who stood in behalf of Lapinid, and Gordon’s nephew, Olongapo City councilor Brian Gordon, who represented the senator.

Before he surrendered, De la Torre told police investigators that his accomplice had fled to the United States.

With this information, police officials got in touch with the US Embassy to help track down Valencia in the US.

"Our latest information is that Valencia was already arrested in the US and is set to be deported to the Philippines," Lapinid said.