Amid threat of escape: 5 suspects in cop’s slay transferred to BJMP jail

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines—The five suspects in the murder of SPO2 Rex de los Reyes, of Iloilo City, were moved from the Hinigaran Police detention cell to the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology in Binalbagan, Negros Occidental, after a threat of a break-in by the mastermind was reported.

Chief Insp. Lino Dalisay, Hinigaran police chief, said Wednesday that he had received since Monday a threat from the alleged mastermind of a planned break-in to effect the escape of the suspects detained in his station.

The transfer to the BJMP-Binalbagan also came after the Himamaylan Regional Trial Court released a commitment order for the suspects, Dalisay said, adding that he immediately requested the help of the 5th Maneuver Platoon of the Negros Occidental Public Safety Company to augment their security and assist them in transporting the five suspects to BJMP.

The five suspects, who were in turn placed in separate lock-up cells of BJMP, are now facing murder and illegal possession of firearms and explosives charges in the killing of De los Reyes, 43, at a beach resort in Hinigaran town of Negros Occidental last Sunday.

The five are Michael Jancilan, 37, and Roger Garilba, 36, of Iloilo; Vicente Poleros, 36, and Eduardo Montano,43, of Escalante City, and Openiano Dolar of Kabankalan City, both in Negros Occidental.

After the killing, they escaped on a van but were trapped in traffic at Hacienda Espinos in La Castellana town, where they were cornered by pursuing policemen of Hinigaran, Pontevedra, and La Castellana PNP.

The Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOPPO) is set to send the evidences of the crime to the PNP Anti-Cyber Crime Group-Region 7 to identify the mastermind.

Police Regional Office-6 director Chief Supt. Josephus Angan assured the family of De los Reyes that his death will be given justice.

Negros Occidental policemen are now hunting down a supposed sixth suspect in the killing of De los Reyes. He could be the man who took away a black bag from the car of De los Reyes after the shooting, said Sr. Supt. Milko Lirazan, director of NOPPO.

Lirazan, who earlier would not confirm the existence of a sixth suspect, said the sixth suspect could be the key to the resolution of the crime. The bag may contain more evidence, he added. “We are coordinating with our counterparts in Iloilo. The victims and three of the suspects were from there.”

Unconfirmed reports said the sixth suspect was the son of a mayor in Negros Occidental, who was seen in the company of the five arrested suspects before the incident.

Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr. on Tuesday ordered Lirazan to conduct a “deeper investigation” into the killing. “I think that there is more to this initial story,” he said. (FREEMAN)