PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) chief Director General Oscar Albayalde commended Monday the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) and the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) for the arrest of four suspects in the shooting to death of a barangay chairwoman.
“I am pleased to take note of the speedy police action of the NCRPO and QCPD that led to the early resolution of the murder of Punong Barangay Crisell “Beng” Beltran of Barangay Bagong Silangan, Quezon City,” Albayalde said in a press briefing in Camp Crame, Quezon City.
Beltran was ambushed by four men last Wednesday, January 30, in Barangay Bagong Silangan. Her driver, Melchor Salita, was also killed while a 14-year-old boy was injured in the incident.
On Sunday, NCRPO Director Guillermo Eleazar and Chief Superintendent Joselito Equivel Jr., QCPD director, announced the arrest of the suspects in Beltran slay case. They were identified as Toefilo Formanes, 48; brothers Ruel, Orlando and Joppy Juab.
According to police, Formanes was the first to be arrested in a follow-up operation conducted by operatives of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit (QCPD-CIDU) Friday, or two days after the incident. He was identified by an eyewitness through a police rogue gallery after his facial composite illustration was released by the police.
During interrogation, Formanes named his cohorts. This led to arrest of the Juab brothers in Barangay Commonwealth later that same day.
Two other suspects – Warren Juab and Dutch Boy Bello — remained at large as of writing.
Albayalde said the quick resolution of the case should serve as an example to other police units in solving similar crimes.
“This well-executed investigation leading to the arrest of key suspects in this high-profile murder provides a working template for other PNP units and in handling similar cases of heinous crime,” Albayalde noted.
A manhunt against Warren Juab and Bello is still ongoing. (Martin A. Sadongdong)
