Fratman killer identified as gunman in Suda killing case

By Ronron
December 12, 2007

Cebu City- A suspected gunman-for-hire who was arrested early this month over various killing incidents here was identified by a witness as the gunman in the killing of a Japanese national in the neighboring city of Mandaue last July.

Aristotle Aves, 26, a suspected hitman of the Alpha Kappa Rho (AKRHO) fraternity, was identified by Jesus Singson, Jr. as the killer of Taro Suda last July 18 in Barangay Banilad, Mandaue City.

Singson, 27, was arrested together with Aves while they were aboard a ferry bound for Leyte last December 3 at a Mandaue City port. The arrest of Aves was based on standing warrants for previous killing cases, while that of Singson was for illegal possession of drugs (shabu).

In his sworn statement to police investigators last December 5, a copy of which was obtained Wednesday by Manila Shimbun, Singson said Aves shot Suda several times after a companion, identified as Brando Ramirez, shot the victim once at around 12:45 am of July 18.

Singson said he witnessed the incident because he acted as lookout then. In fact, he said he boarded the motorcycle used by Aves and Ramirez after the execution of the crime to escape.

Singson said the mission to kill Suda was for a fee of P10,000 to the group.

He did not say, however, who the source of the money is, who masterminded the killing, and what is the reason behind the killing. Police refused to give the said details as well due to ongoing follow up operations against the cohorts of Aves and Singson.

Singson recounted in his three-page sworn statement that at about 3 pm of July 17, he was invited by Ramirez to go to their meeting place in Alang-alang, Mandaue City. Upon their arrival there, Aves, Cyron Pineda and Jose Marie Temblon, alias “Otik,” were already there.

“Few minutes later, Cyron Pineda informed them that they will kill somebody for a consideration of P10,000. Cyron Pineda told them that his uncle, a certain Boy Baclohan, was in charge of this plan to kill,” Singson said.

Baclohan, 53, was killed in a shootout with police last Monday afternoon at his residence in Barangay Zapatera, this city. He was identified by police as a broker for gun-for-hire operations. Police had earlier said that Baclohan may have been able to shed light on the spate of killings in this city if he was captured alive.

“He (Pineda) further told them that the person whom they will kill was a Fil-Japanese and was employed as chief cook of a Japanese restaurant in Cabancalan, Mandaue City,” Singson went on.

Immediately, Singson said he, Aves, Pineda and Ramirez went to Cabancalan at around 4:30 pm to survey the activities of the victim and the area. They stayed until 6pm.

While conducting surveillance, Pineda told them that Suda lives in Sitio Urel in front of Queensland Motel, and will leave his workplace at around 12 midnight.

At around 8pm, while at their meeting place in Alang-alang, Singson said he saw Pineda arrive aboard a taxi. He then saw the taxi driver hand over a caliber 45 to Pineda.

At 9pm, the group, consisting of Singson, Aves, Ramirez, and Pineda proceeded to Cabancalan. Avis and Ramirez were aboard a black Honda motorcycle, while Pineda and Singson rode on the taxi.

However, after 30 minutes of staying there, they retreated to the vicinity of the New Mactan Bridge upon the instruction of Pineda to kill the time. At the bridge, Singson said he saw Baclohan.

Upon learning at around 12 midnight that Suda already left the restaurant where he works, Singson said he was instructed by Pineda to go ahead at their target’s house to serve as lookout. Aves and Ramirez immediately followed and pre-positioned themselves in the area.

When Suda arrived near the gate of his house at 12:45 am, Singson said Ramirez shot the Japanese once, and Aves followed with several shots.

“As soon as the victim was down, we fled on board a black motorcycle. When we reached the junction, I disembarked and transferred to the waiting taxi cab. We proceeded to Alang-alang, Mandaue City where the five of us met,” Singson said.

Singson said that at around 10am of July 18, he received a payment of P2,000 from Pineda.

Singson admitted as the owner of the motorcycle used in killing Suda, however, police have yet to recover it even as he already said it was left in his house in Barangay Subangdaku, Mandaue City.

As to the caliber 45 used by Ramirez in shooting the Japanese, Singson turned it over to police because Ramirez asked him to keep it sometime in October. Police said yesterday that it was found to be the actual gun used in killing Suda.

Meanwhile, asked if he has personal knowledge about the killing of Hiroshi Kusaka last November 13 also in Mandaue City, Singson just said: “Yes sir, I heard that they (group of Aves) were responsible in the deaths of Hiroshi Kusaka, a Japanese national, in Mandaue City, and a Tau Gamma (fraternity) member … in Pardo, Cebu City.”

Without citing the identity of Singson and his testimony, Chief Insp. Rex Derilo of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Region VII told reporters yesterday that indeed, they have a “strong case because of the testimonial and physical evidence they have at present.”

Derilo said yesterday they still have search warrants to be effected against some persons in the coming days.

They expressed confidence that the killing cases involving Suda and Kusaka will be solved very soon.

“We are on the right track, and we have witnesses. Maybe, we can solve this case very soon,” said Sr. Insp. Reynaldo Magdaluyo of the CIDG-Japan International Coordinating Agency (JICA) office that is based in Camp Crame, Quezon City.

Magdaluyo facilitated the coordination made by four Japanese policemen with the CIDG Region VII on Tuesday and Wednesday with regard to the Suda and Kusaka killing cases.

“They are very satisfied with the investigation. Especially, they are very thankful to the efforts being made by the CIDG Region VII. They are very, very satisfied,” Magdaluyo said of the Japanese cops’ reaction to the local investigation to the two incidents.

Magdaluyo disclosed that aside from providing information they gathered from Japan about the victims, the visiting Japanese police investigators also helped in analyzing some pieces of evidence, including documents and text messages that are in Japanese characters.

Magdaluyo quantified the rate of the solution of the cases at 95 percent, saying “I tell you people, (we are) very, very close.”

He refused, however, to comment when asked if any Japanese nationals could be behind the killings and what could be the motive.

It can be recalled that the name of a certain Mr. Oda cropped up during the investigation on the Kusaka case because the latter had confided to some persons days before his death that he was looking for Oda who owed him P20 million. Police are not saying anything yet about Oda.

Singson, meanwhile, remains under the custody of the CIDG Region IV although he was already charged with illegal possession of drugs for the shabu recovered from him and Aves during their arrest. Aves, on the other hand, is detained at the Cebu City Jail./DMS