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2 suspects in Mayor Bote slay arrested in CamSur


Police on Wednesday arrested two suspects in the killing of General Tinio, Nueva Ecija Mayor Ferdinand Bote.

Philippine National Police chief Director General Oscar Albayalde confirmed the arrest of two suspects identified as Florencio Suarez, 48, and Robert Gumacay, 35, who were nabbed around 9:30 a.m. in a checkpoint along Andaya Highway in Barangay Cabasag, Del Gallego, Camarines Sur.

"This is a result of our follow-up and nakuha nating information, that's why a few days back nabanggit natin [na] mayroon na tayong magandang lead dito, mayroon tayong hawak na physical evidence, mga CCTV which will all be presented on Monday to make the picture clearer kung papaano natin nakuha itong suspects na ito," Albayalde said in an ambush interview.

One of the arrested suspects was the alleged gunman but Albayalde did not divulge who it was.

Suarez was driving a Toyota Avanza bearing a lost plate number PGQ 134 when they were flagged down by the police.

Police Regional Office 5 director Chief Superintendent Arnel Escobal earlier said Gumacay was not yet a suspect or person of interest in the killing of Bote but the latter allegedly admitted his involvement in the killing of the local chief executive during the interrogation of authorities from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.

Albayalde said authorities are still looking for at least four to five more suspects as they have yet to catch the mastermind.

The PNP chief said there are indications that the two suspects are part of a gun-for-hire group.

"Isang anggulo na tinitingnan natin doon kasi apparently mayroon siyang naging competition doon sa malaking negosyo sa NIA (National Irrigation Administration). That's the reason why probably nanggaling siya sa NIA office nung binaril," Albayalde said.

Police recovered a caliber .45 pistol from Suarez which was allegedly seen in plain view when his vehicle stopped at the checkpoint.

Escobal said Suarez and Gumacay are both under the custody Del Gallego Municipal Police Station pending investigation.

Bote was shot dead on July 3 in Cabanatuan City. He was laid to rest Tuesday, July 10.

The second mayor to be killed in one week, Bote was repeatedly shot with a short firearm by motorcycle-riding suspects outside the office of National Irrigation Administration.

Based on closed-circuit television footage, police have earlier said they are pursuing three suspects who were seen “withdrawing from the crime scene” on a motorcycle.

A day before Bote's assassination, Mayor Antonio Halili of Tanauan City, Batangas, was shot from afar while attending the flag-raising ceremony at the city hall.

Bote was a member of the ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban). —KBK/RSJ, GMA News

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