Police clearance application gives murder suspect away

Four men with warrants for their arrest over different cases were caught by the Quezon City police on Monday, including an attempted murder suspect who brazenly tried to apply for a police clearance.

In a statement, the Quezon City police said it arrested Florencio Otagan Jr., 41, after he went to the Quezon City Hall at 11:30 a.m. to obtain a police clearance even though there was a warrant for his arrest issued by Surigao del Sur Regional Trial Court Judge Alfredo Jalad.

Authorities were immediately alerted to his identity by the Philippine National Police E-Warrant System, leading to his apprehension.

Supt. Louise Tremor, Kamuning police station commander, said that Otagan probably thought his case would not appear on the database since it had been filed in Surigao del Sur.

“But our police clearance [system] is interconnected. It’s complete and nationwide,” Tremor said. In fact, Otagan was already the 103rd suspect to be arrested while applying for a police clearance at city hall after a background check showed they had pending arrest warrants.

3 more fall

On the same day, members of the Batasan and Kamuning police stations arrested murder suspect Raymond Llanita, 25, and trespassing suspect Maridel Arambulo, 53, respectively, in separate operations at 2:30 p.m.

Both had been the subject of arrest warrants issued by judges in Quezon City.

Llanita was caught at Barangay Payatas, while Arambulo was apprehended at National Kidney and Transplant Institute at Barangay Central.

Operatives of the Novaliches police station also arrested car theft suspect Reymart Lacaba, 24, at 7:50 p.m. in Barangay Sauyo.