Monday, January 28, 2008
Suspect caught a year later
OVER 11 months after the fatal shooting of a Mactan Economic Zone customs official last year, authorities finally arrested the suspected gunman.
Albert Gani, 37, admitted he was paid P40,000 by a certain Freddy to kill Jason Alcantara last Feb. 6.
He said the offer was made through text, but he was not told why Alcantara should be killed.
He, however, refused to divulge Freddy’s full name and address and how the pay-off was made.
Alcantara, who was then the Customs-Peza Clearing Office assistant chief, was shot 200 meters from his house after playing basketball in Mandaue City.
The attack, which happened at 8:45 p.m., had the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) 7, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) 7 and the local police working together to solve it.
But until the mastermind is arrested, authorities are stuck with office rivalry, a bad deal, or a love triangle as possible motives for the attack.
Alcantara was known for his strict implementation of policies.
With an arrest warrant issued by Regional Trial Court Judge Victor Teves Jr., Insp. Conrado Manatad led a team to Barangay Lawaan I, Talisay City last Saturday after receiving a tip on Gani’s presence there.
They found him with two others near a gas station at past 4 p.m.
No bail was recommended for Gani, who yielded a .38 revolver loaded with six bullets and five small sachets of what appeared to be shabu.
His companions tried to intervene and were arrested.
Jose Mitchell Alguno, 33, reportedly also had with him four small packs of shabu, while Mario Alforque, 38, had two packs.
Getaway
Gani said he was forced to accept the offer because his 19-year-old live-in partner left him.
He said that after shooting Alcantara, he went to his hometown Nueva Valencia in Guimaras Island and depended on fishing for his livelihood for eight months.
He came back to Cebu to look for a job.
He said that after accepting Freddy’s offer, he went to a friend named Ricky and asked him to drive their getaway motorcycle.
They then followed Alcantara, who drove his Honda Civic, from the Mandaue City Cultural and Sports Complex up to Sudtungan Road in Barangay Basak, Lapu-Lapu City.
When Alcantara slowed down, they drove by his left side and fired several shots, hitting him in the left armpit, chin and left arm.
Manatad said that Gani will be presented to Judge Teves today, while Alguno and Alforque will be turned over to the Talisay City Police Office. (AIV)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (January 28, 2007 issue)
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