Suspects in ex-Batangas lawmaker’s slay arrested

CAMP VICENTE LIM, Laguna, Philippines — Five persons tagged in the murder of former congressman Edgar Mendoza and his two companions in Tiaong, Quezon two weeks ago were arrested in Laguna and Batangas on Tuesday.

The suspects – three men and two women – whose names were withheld, are being held at the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group main office at Camp Crame, Brig. Gen. Vicente Danao, Calabarzon police director, said yesterday.

Danao did not give details on the operation that led to the arrest of the suspects. 

“We don’t want to preempt ongoing operations and the filing of criminal cases against the suspects. We have seven persons of interest, two of them remain at large,” he said.

Danao said the killing could be work-related.

“Meron siyang hina-handle na kaso tulad ng isang nakakulong sa Bilibid. He was also lawyering for a real estate case,” he said.

A source told The STAR the family of the detainee gave Mendoza a “huge amount of money” for his release through good conduct time allowance (GCTA).

“Nagkahigpitan sa Bilibid dahil nga nabulgar ang GCTA, naapektuhan ang paglaya ng suspek,” the source said.

The charred remains of Mendoza, his driver Ruel Ruiz and his bodyguard Nicanor, also surnamed Mendoza, were found in a burned vehicle in Tiaong, Quezon.

The victims were found dead a day after they left Mendoza’s home in Batangas City.

DNA tests confirmed that the three bodies in the car were of the three victims.