MAYOR Celso Lobregat said Thursday that one of the suspects in the shooting incidents in the village of Mampang, seven kilometers east of Zamboanga City, was arrested by the police.
Lobregat said he received report that murder suspect Nur Abdulsamad was arrested by the police in Puerto Galera in Mindoro province.
Abdulsamad was tagged as suspect in the killing of Manuel Cristobal last April 27 at San Juan Niño Drive, Mampang village in Zamboanga City.
Nasib Ati, another accuse in the case remains at large, Lobregat said.
As this developed, the City Prosecutor's Office informed Lobregat that charges were filed against other suspects in the series of shooting incidents in the villages of Talon-Talon, Mampang, and Arena Blanco areas in the past months.
Charges of attempted murder was filed against Gilbert Sineneng and an unidentified suspect for the ambush of Corporal Sikal Akjam, Private Abraham Mingkil and Ferdinand Mingkil last April 27 at Enriquez Drive, Mampang.
Criminal cases for murder were also filed against Jayson Gravador and Gilbert Sebastian for the killing of Suraka Amping last May 28 at Marcelino Drive, Logoy Grande in Talon-talon village; and charges of murder were filed against Tomas Rebollos, Reyan Vicente Ebol and Joseph Rosario for the killing of Mannan Abduhad last January 30 at Asuncion Drive in Mampang village.
Lobregat said that with these developments, Zamboanga Peninsula Police Office (ZPPO) Director Edwin Corvera and the City Peace and Order Council (CPOC) will have to assess the situation in Mampang in the light of the marching orders that Corvera gave to the local police.
The order, which will expire July 27, are for the local police to come out with positive results in the investigation of the case, which means the arrest of the suspects, the filing of appropriate charges and putting an end to the spate of shooting incidents in the three adjoining villages.
Lobregat said the suspects in all the shooting incidents in the three villages have to be identified.
He also expressed hopes that the present situation in Mampang and the adjacent villages will continue but stressed that "it is not just the absence of shooting incidents but the convenience and comfort of the civilians should be back in order." (Bong Garcia)