Policemen apprehend third suspect

CEBU, Philippines - A third suspect in the shooting spree in Talisay City Friday morning targeting three foreign nationals, killing a German and wounding a Frenchman and an Indian, was arrested yesterday by the operatives of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-7 conducting hot pursuit operations.

Roger Canedo Cal, 40, a habal-habal driver, was arrested past 5 a.m. yesterday in his house at Ruiz Compound, Barangay Tabunok, Talisay City. He was the third suspect linked in the attack that killed Henry Haffner and injured Julian Millard and Cheten Saparaiya.

The police earlier arrested two other suspects, Allano Velos and Ricci Ramirez, of Barangays San Isidro and Tabunok, respectively.

Cal denied any involvement in the attack saying he was only a habal-habal driver trying to earn a living for his family.

 “Ang ako lang ikasulti ana sir, inosente gyud ko. Wa gyud koy labot sa krimen habal-habal drayber ra gyud ko,” Cal said.

Cal has three children, the eldest is aged 14 while the youngest is 2 years old. With his arrest, Cal said, his family is deprived of their sole breadwinner.

“Na koy anak sir tulo, ang akong pagdrive sa habal-habal mao ray akong panginabuhian…ambot mag-unsa na akong mga anak,” he said.

The police are still conducting follow up operations for the possible arrest of one to two more suspects.

Joint operatives of the Talisay City Police and Regional Special Operations Group arrested Ramirez, 21, on Saturday in Sitio Neighborhood Barangay San Isidro, Talisay City.

The police recovered from Ramirez a caliber .45 pistol loaded with four rounds of ammunition and two big plastic packs of suspected shabu.

His arrest came after an informant told RSOG that he was involved in the attack of three foreigners at a fast food joint in Tabunok. He allegedly admitted to the crime.

Ramirez was captured on closed-circuit television cameras at the fast food joint. On Friday, Velos, 40, of Barangay San Isidro, Talisay City, was also arrested by the Talisay City Police after he was tagged by two witnesses.

Velos denied the allegation saying he was with his family and was sleeping at the time of the incident.

The melee on Friday started when Millard’s girlfriend, Barbie Ann Gabumpa, had an argument with a group of three men inside the fast food joint.

The group allegedly made fun of the victims prompting Gabumpa to confront them. After the argument, the three went out of the food joint but came back few minutes later and started shooting at the victims.—/FPL (FREEMAN)