MANILA, Philippines -- A retired Army man and former member of the Presidential Security Group (PSG) was arrested by the Manila Police District (MPD) Monday for alleged involvement in the murder of a jeweler in Sta. Cruz recently.

Suspect M/Sgt. Mateo Gabini de Torres, 43, a retired enlisted personnel, was nabbed by the MPD homicide division around 9 a.m. Monday at a rented house on Mansanas Street, Sampaloc, through an informant's tip.

De Torres, who was also in the jewelry business, apparently fled to his hometown in Cagayan before returning to his Sampaloc home. The suspect was accused of killing buy-and-sell trader Danilo Pagsanjan, 59, at the Golden Valley Building on C.M. Avenue Recto around 6:45 a.m. of May 12.

Pagsanjan was shot twice by a masked man with a .45 caliber pistol while preparing his stall on the ground floor. A security guard told police he greeted De Torres for being early, and saw him wear a mask before the incident took place.

The same guard Monday positively identified De Torres at the MPD homicide office. The suspect, whose supposed motive was business rivalry, denied the accusations.

Though the alleged murder weapon was not found, the police recovered a firearms license for a .45 cal. pistol and an improvised .38 cal. gun from the suspect's home.

De Torres will be charged with murder at the Manila City Prosecutor's Office.