CEBU, Philippines - A former church minister who is ranked fourth among the most wanted persons in Central Visayas was arrested by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-7 in Tagum City, Davao del Norte, Thursday noon.
Policemen have been looking for Rodrigo Ybañez, 56, of Purok Bulaklak 2, Magugpo North, for 17 years now after he was accused of killing Manuel Javierto and his son, Jimmy, 11, on Apr. 15, 1996 in Negros Oriental.
Ybañez was collared by intelligence operatives and the Tagum City police at the public market in Magugpo West when Ybañez was about to have lunch.
His arrest was by virtue of an arrest warrant for attempted robbery with double homicide issued by Regional Trial Court Judge Rogelio Carampatan, Branch 13, Dumaguete City on Oct. 22, 1997.
Senior Supt. Ritchie Posadas, CIDG-7 chief, said that Ybañez had been hiding in Cebu, Bohol, Negros Oriental and Leyte before he decided to go to Davao del Norte.
Ybañez has a P100,000 bounty in his head.
Ybañez was a church minister of the Iglesia ni Kristo in Negros Oriental when he allegedly committed the crime together with his accomplice, Alecio “Juniboy†Baja.
Posadas said that suspects robbed couple Manuel and Marieta Javierto in their house in Sitio Manggulaya, Barangay Atabay, Ayungon around 10 p.m.
During the robbery, Jimmy reportedly fought the suspects after his father was stabbed, which prompted the suspect to shoot the boy dead.
However, Ybañez claimed he never hid from the law and denied any involvement in the crime.
“Wa ko nisibat kay wa ko kabalo nga naa koy warrant wa gani ko kaila anang Javierto,†he said.
He said that he is confident he will be found innocent.
The operation is in support of CIDG’s flagship project on Oplan Pagtugis or the campaign against most wanted persons of the PNP. (FREEMAN)