BAUANG, La Union, Philippines – A man tagged in the murder of a councilor of Bacnotan town in this province was arrested after engaging police officers in a shootout here last Friday.
Robert Cardenas suffered a bullet wound in the shoulder during a shootout that occurred on a beach resort in Barangay Pagdalagan.
Cardenas, said to be a hired killer, was tagged in the killing of Councilor Onofre Almojuela in November, said Senior Superintendent Francisco Esguerra, chief of the regional criminal investigation and detection group.
Reports said Cardenas, who was on a motorcycle driven by a companion, ambushed Almojuela in Barangay Mabanengbeng, Bacnotan.
Esguerra said the suspect yielded a caliber. 45 pistol, bullets, a bonnet and a mobile phone.
The suspect was rushed to the Ilocos Training and Regional Medical Center for treatment before he was taken to the police station for investigation.
Aside from murder, charges for illegal possession of firearms and resisting arrest will be filed against the suspect, police said.