Suspect denies participating in Cebu killings, including those involving Japanese nationals

By Ronron
December 14, 2007

Cebu City - A suspect in several killings here including of two Japanese nationals in the neighboring city of Mandaue denied on Friday the allegations against him by police.

Jose Mari Temblon, who was nabbed Thursday, told reporters during his brief presentation yesterday at the office here of the Region VII Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) that he has no knowledge about all the crimes he is being accused of having committed.

“Those are all not true,” said the 21-year-old Temblon who is being dragged into the killings of Taro Suda last July 18 and Hiroshi Kusaka last November 13.

Temblon said he could not have joined Aristotle Aves, one of the suspects already arrested, in the killings because he does not know how to drive a motorcycle, and he does not even have a driver’s license.

Police have noted that Aves, 26, rides in tandem with another person if he engages in the shooting incidents he allegedly perpetrated. Aves, who was the number one most wanted criminal in Cebu City at the time of his arrest last December 3 at a port in Mandaue City, started to become notorious in 2004.

Temblon confirmed, however, that he is a member of the Alpha Kappa Rho (AKRHO) fraternity and that he also knows Aves.

He admitted that he meets with Aves on a monthly basis, together with other AKRHO members, but these are over their fraternity activities.

But he denied that the meetings are held at his place in Barangay Ibabao, Mandaue City, saying that the venue is at the house of a fellow AKRHO member he identified as Ivan Pineda.

Pineda’s house is allegedly near the residence of slain fellow suspect Ramon Baclohan at Barangay Zapatera, this city. Baclohan, who is Pineda’s uncle, was shot dead after fighting it out with police last Monday at his residence during an attempt to apprehend him.

Temblon denied, however, that Baclohan is a member of their group. Police had earlier said Baclohan is just a conduit between Ave’s group and the masterminds of the killings.

Temblon refused to talk more about their group.

Police are initially preparing to charge him with illegal possession of firearms and possession of illegal drugs.

Police are planning to charge the suspects next week over the killing of Suda and Kusaka./DMS