Village chair held for slay of IBP exec

A barangay chairperson in Calamba City, Laguna province was arrested on Saturday afternoon for allegedly killing a lawyer and official of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) eight years ago.

Florencio Morales Jr. was apprehended inside his office in the barangay hall of Real, along with his bodyguard Bernard Palacio.

Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CDG) members served on Morales an arrest warrant issued by Calamba judge Antonio Manzano for the murder in June 2007 of Demetrio Hilbero, IBP Laguna president.

Morales “is among the top 20 most wanted persons in the Calabarzon region,” said CIDG director Chief Supt. Victor Deona.

In 2011, two other suspects were arrested while another cohort remains at large.

Also arrested with Morales was Palacio, his alleged bodyguard, for his illegal possession of an unlicensed .357 revolver with ammunition.

Hilbero was shot dead near his law office in Calamba City after he attended Mass at  St. John the Baptist Church. Hilbero was the political adviser of then-mayoral candidate Joaquin Chipeco, who was running against Calamba City councilor Moises Morales in the 2007 elections.