Suspect in slay of Pangasinan councilor's son falls

Almost a month after the crime, police in Pangasinan province have arrested and charged the triggerman in the murder of the son of a local councilor. Sun-Star Pangasinan reported Thursday that the suspect, identified as Vicente Simon, was arrested April 1 but charged only last Tuesday. Superintendent Jimili Macaraeg, Urdaneta City police director, said Simon, linked to the murder of a son of councilor Julio Parayno, was arrested last Sunday night in San Vicente village. A joint team from the Urdaneta City police, the provincial Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) and National Bureau of Investigation (NBI)-Dagupan City arrested him. The police charged Simon with murder before the city prosecutor's office Tuesday for the March 5 killing of Rene Parayno. He was earlier charged with illegal possession of firearms and violation of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) gun ban. Macaraeg said a record check with other law enforcement agencies revealed that Simon was also a suspect in a robbery-in-band, carjacking and kidnapping case in Pozorrubio town. Simon was also allegedly involved in a shooting of an Indian national in Dagupan City; a murder case in Isabela; a case of illegal possession of firearm in Rosales; and a robbery and carjacking incident in Nueva Ecija. - GMANews.TV