Police nabs another suspect to Japanese killings in Mandaue City

By Ronron
December 13, 2007

Cebu City – Another suspect in several killings here and in the neighboring city of Mandaue, including two Japanese killing incidents, was apprehended Thursday morning, police said.

Nabbed was Jose Mari Temblon, alias Otik, 21, a member of the Alpha Kappa Rho (AKRHO) Fraternity, residing at Barangay Ibabao in Mandaue City.

Supt. Jose Jorge Corpuz, chief of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Region VII, told reporters here yesterday afternoon that Temblon was apprehended at around 7am at his residence by operatives from CIDG VII and the Mandaue City Police Office (MCPO).

Corpuz said the police operatives were armed with a search warrant against Corpuz for illegal possession of firearms issued by Cebu City Regional Trial Court Branch 9 Judge Geraldine Faith Econg.

The search warrant was based on the confession of fellow AKRHO member Jesus Singson, Jr. who was arrested last December 3 together with Aristotle Aves, described by police as a hitman of the AKRHO, on a ferry at the Mandaue City port bound for Ormoc City, Leyte.

“Based on our information, Otik was with the group who did the casing and killing. They all gather at his place after the killing where they cool off,” Corpuz said.

“Otik is involved in the killing of Taro Suda. He was also involved in the killing of (Hiroshi) Kusaka,” he added.

Singson had said in his sworn statement dated December 5, 2007 that Aves was one of the gunmen in the killing of Taro Suda last July 18 in Barangay Banilad, Mandaue City, while Temblon offered his house as meeting place during their planning and after execution of the kill plot.

Singson had stated that Temblon’s place was at Barangay Alang-alang, but police clarified yesterday that he may have just mistaken it for Barangay Ibabao.

Aves has yet to issue a statement confirming or denying Singson’s allegation against him.

But Singson himself admitted that he participated in killing Suda from the time it was planned in the afternoon of July 17, until during the execution at around 12:45 am of July 18 where he served as a lookout.

Singson said further that he “heard” that the same group was involved in killing Kusaka last November 13 also in Mandaue City.

Corpuz said that Temblon did not resist arrest when policemen, assisted by barangay officials, caught up with him.

A search at his house yielded the following items: a caliber 45 pistol; a magazine of caliber 45; six ammunitions for caliber 45; one black jacket; one photo album; three small plastic sachets containing white crystalline substance believed to be shabu; four pieces of empty transparent plastic sachet; one piece empty transparent plastic containing tin foils; one piece of tissue paper; and one piece cylindrical plastic film container.

Corpuz said the recovered gun is now being subjected to ballistics examination to find out if it was among those used in the alleged killing activities of the group.

He said Temblon will be charged initially with violation of Republic Acts 8294 (Illegal Possession of Firearms) and 9165 (Dangerous Drugs Act).

But he may eventually be among those to be charged for the killings of Suda and Kusaka, which may be done anytime next week.

Asked if Temblon already confessed to committing the crimes he is accused of, Corpuz said the tactical interrogation was still ongoing.

“As of now, for the two Japanese cases, we already have a solid direction. It’s just a matter of packaging,” Corpuz said.

While there are details already for the Suda case except on the aspect of the mastermind, the picture for the Kusaka case remains hazy, except the admission of Singson that he heard the same group was involved in that.

Meanwhile, Corpuz disclosed that the caliber 45 surrendered by Singson was found to have been used not only in killing Suda, but also for eight other fraternity killings in Cebu and Mandaue cities.

It was allegedly the gun used by fellow suspect Brando Ramirez in shooting Suda. Ramirez is still at large.

As to the motorcycle allegedly used in killing Suda and Kusaka, Corpuz said it was surrendered by Singson last Sunday, although they only presented it yesterday. Singson said he is the owner of the motorcycle.

Corpuz said the group of Aves is believed to be composed of 10 to 12 people. But so far, they have already accounted for four people – Aves (who is now at the Cebu City Jail), Singson (who is now under the CIDG custody), Ramon Baclohan (who was killed when police attempted to arrest him last Monday), and Temblon (who is also under the CIDG custody).

“We still have several search warrants to be served. We are just waiting for the right time,” Corpuz said.

“We can’t say yet that we have already disabled the group. There are still many we are looking for. But we assure you we are going to disable them, especially with the information we have now, and the people we have taken in already,” he added.

Corpuz said had they taken custody of Baclohan, they would have known the motive of the killings and more importantly, the mastermind./DMS