2 suspects in House official’s slay nabbed

MANILA, Philippines — A massive manhunt led to the arrest of two people implicated in the murder of an official of the House of Representatives, the Philippine National Police (PNP) reported yesterday.

The suspects and five other people, including a couple, who were tagged in the killing of Mauricio Pulhin, 63, were charged with murder before the Quezon City prosecutor’s office.

Pulhin was the chief of technical staff of the House committee on ways and means.

PNP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Jean Fajardo said Joe Zarasate, alias Balong, and Jason Calopez were arrested by operatives of the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) following an extensive review of closed-circuit television footage.

“They are now in custody of the QCPD,” Fajardo said at a news briefing at Camp Crame.

Sources privy to the investigation said Zarasate allegedly served as the middleman between the masterminds and members of a gun-for-hire group.

Zarasate was apprehended on June 22, a few meters away from his house along Waling Waling street in Barangay 174, Camarin, Caloocan.

The suspect was about to dump the clothes used by the gunman and a back-up rider when he was apprehended, according to sources.

Police said Zarasate executed an extrajudicial confession and identified six more suspects in Pulhin’s murder, including the two masterminds.

Calopez, also a resident of Caloocan, turned himself in to police in Barangay Tandang Sora on Monday.

Sources said Calopez was the driver of the getaway motorcycle and served as the lookout when the shooting occurred on June 15.

Pulhin was at the birthday party of his seven-year-old daughter at Don Jose Heights Subdivision in Barangay Commonwealth when he was shot dead.

Based on the QCPD’s probe, Fajardo said the couple ordered Pulhin’s killing after the victim threatened to file cases of qualified theft and estafa against the suspects, who were his former employees.

“Based on the testimony of Zarasate, they were hired by the couple to kill Pulhin due to a personal grudge,” Fajardo said.

The couple promised to pay the gunmen P30,000 in exchange for the “hit job.”

However, the couple ended up not paying the suspects after the murder was carried out.

“Nung sinisingil na daw, ang sabi nitong mastermind ay GCash na lang, pero diumano ay hindi pa sila nababayaran,” Fajardo said.

Police are tracking down the couple.