BICOL Police director Chief Superintendent Arnel Escobal confirmed on Wednesday, July 11, the arrest of two men suspected of killing General Tinio, Nueva Ecija Mayor Ferdinand Bote.
Escobal said the two men were arrested at a checkpoint along Andaya Highway, Barangay Cabasag del Gallego in Camarines Sur around 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, July 11. One was identified as Florencio Suarez, 48.
“Ito ‘yung pinaghihinalaan na pumatay kay Mayor Bote. Kaya lang po ‘yung report hindi pa kumpleto kasi ongoing pa ang operation,” Escobal said.
(These are the men suspected of killing Mayor Bote. The report is not yet complete because the operation is still ongoing.)
In a report, police said they flagged down the vehicle driven by Suarez for bearing a lost license plate.
Recovered inside the vehicle was a caliber .45 which the police saw in plain view on the left part of the driver’s seat.
Bote was killed on Tuesday, July 3 in Cabanatuan City, the second mayor gunned down in Luzon after the July 2 shooting of Tanauan City Mayor Antonio Halili in Batangas province.
On Monday, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Oscar Albayalde said the police already have a “good lead” which may lead to the arrest of the suspect in the killing of Bote. (Third Anne Peralta-Malonzo/SunStar Philippines)