AN ALLEGED gun-for-hire was arrested at Rosario Street, Barangay 32, Bacolod City Saturday afternoon, January 21.
Police identified the suspect as Jonathan Divinagracia, 21, of Purok Sigay, Barangay 2, Bacolod City.
The joint operation was conducted by operatives of Bacolod City Mobile Force Company (BCMFC), Regional Intelligence Unit, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), and Police Station 1.
Major Ramel Sarona, chief of Police Station 1, said Monday, Januayr 23, Divinagracia was arrested by virtue of arrest warrant for murder.
The arrest warrant was issued by Judge Amcel Mercader of Regional Trial Court, Branch 48, Bacolod City’ with no bail recommended.
Sarona said the suspect, a former detainee, was also included in the drug watchlist of Police Station 2.
He said Divinagraca is detained at the station’s custodial facility. They will wait for the court commitment order to turn over the suspect to the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP).
Lieutenant Colonel Sherlock Gabana, spokesperson of Bacolod City Police Office, said Divinagracia was the suspect in the killing of Elmar Gayatin, 27, a resident of Pontevedra on December 25, 2021; Donald Joseph Casiano, 28, a resident of Barangay Granada, Bacolod City on January 26, 2022; and Joenard Esquilla, 40, a resident of Barangay 2, Bacolod City on February 23, 2022.
He said Divinagracia’s companion, who was identified as Ette Javier, was also arrested by operatives of Police Station 2 in August 2022.
He added they determined that Divinagracia was gun-for-hire and used to victimize the suspected asset of the operatives.*