Public Works exec's gunman nabbed

MANILA -- The most wanted criminal in Camarines Sur who allegedly killed a government executive 17 years ago was arrested by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), a police official said.

Juanito M. Ona alias Totoy Ona, 42, was arrested in Daet, Camarines Norte on September 1, according to Police Director Samuel Pagdilao, Jr., CIDG chief.

An arrest warrant against Ona was issued by branch 76 of the Quezon City and Branch 23 of the Naga City Regional Trial Courts for murder and robbery, respectively.

Recovered from his possession were two firearms, several magazines and ammunition, and a tampered Philippine National Police identification card.

Tagged as Camarines Sur's most wanted person with a monetary reward of P175,000, Ona is linked to a series of crimes dating back to over a decade ago including the killing of a high official of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

Police Senior Superintendent Pedro Cabatingan, Jr. of the Legazpi City CIDG said Ona was the alleged gunman in the killing of DPWH regional director Ernesto Tria at the Naga City airport in 1995.

Ona has also been linked to armed robberies of buses and establishments.

He was previously nabbed at a mall in Naga City in March 2011 after three arrest warrants for murder and robbery were issued by local courts against him.

The murder cases against him, however, were provisionally dismissed while he was able to post bail for the robbery case.

"Subject is currently under detention/custody of BJMP Naga City awaiting transport by plane to Metro Manila and pending return of warrant of arrest to the issuing court," Cabatingan said. (Emmanuel Louis Bacani/Sunnex)