POLICE LINEUP Police officers present four of the suspects in the murder of Crisell Beltran, a barangay chair and congressional candidate in Quezon City, on Sunday, a day after their arrest. They were identified as Teofilo Formanes and brothers Ruel,Orlando and Joppy Juab. Two other suspects are still hunted. —NIÑO JESUS ORBETA
It would have been a near-perfect hit, but in the end, an electric blue and yellow helmet did them in.
Four suspects tagged in the murder of a barangay chair and candidate for representative in Quezon City were arrested on Saturday as local officials narrowly dodged calls to have the city declared an “election hot spot.”
Police, however, have yet to arrest two other suspects and the masterminds behind the killing of Crisell “Beng” Beltran, barangay chair of Bagong Silangan, according to Director Guillermo Eleazar, chief of the National Capital Regional Police Office.
“We are certain that the gunman and other perpetrators have been identified … [but] we haven’t solved the entire case yet,” Eleazar said. “We still have to dig up other pieces of evidence.”
Beltran and her driver, Melchor Salita, were killed on Jan. 30 after four assailants on two motorcycles fired on their sport utility vehicle on J.P. Rizal Street at Barangay Bagong Silangan. Four of their companions were wounded.
Beltran was running for representative of the city’s second district under Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan.
She was on the ticket of Rep. Vincent Crisologo, who is running for mayor against incumbent Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte in the May elections.
Market inspector
Among those presented before the media on Sunday morning was Teofilo Formanes, 49, who was arrested at Commonwealth Market where he supposedly worked as a market inspector.
Chief Supt. Joselito Esquivel, director of the Quezon City Police District, said Formanes was the same gunman described in a facial composite sketch based on a witness’ testimony.
Ultimately, however, police were able to identify him because of the distinct color of his helmet: electric blue streaked with yellow stripes — supposedly the same helmet described by the informant.
Accomplices, manhunt
His accomplices — brothers Ruel, Orlando and Joppy Juab — were collared in a follow-up operation after Formanes squealed on them.
Two other suspects — Warren Juab and Dutch Boy Bello — are now being hunted, Eleazar said.
Police earlier counted six suspects in the killing — four gunmen and two who acted as lookouts. All were aboard motorcycles.
Known hired guns
The Juab brothers were supposedly known hired guns in the area, said Chief Insp. Elmer Monsalve, district investigation chief.
Only Warren Juab has a police record for his alleged involvement in the 2017 murder of 25-year-old Johnny Sobenaga, Monsalve added.
Also arrested were Miguel Juab, 26; Mangmang Rasia, 26; and Boy Fernandez, 52; Cosette Capistrano, 50; and Angelie Juab, 27, for supposedly allowing Warren Juab and Bello to escape. They will be facing charges of obstruction of justice.
Police said a number of firearms supposedly used in the murder, a grenade, helmets and cell phones were recovered during their arrests.
Formanes and the Juabs will be facing charges of murder, frustrated murder under Republic Act No. 7610, attempted murder, and illegal possession of firearms and explosives under the Omnibus Election Code.
Other charges of unlawful possession of explosives, direct assault, resistance and disobedience will be filed against Joppy and Ruel for resisting arrest.
Motive
The motive also remains in question, Eleazar said, as the city’s two leading candidates for the mayoralty continue to argue over whether her death was politically driven.
Belmonte, who was at Camp Karingal on Sunday, maintained that the city should not be declared a hot spot as Beltran’s death had yet to be considered an election-related crime.
This did not sit well with Beltran’s supporters, who were barred from entering the district headquarters during the press briefing.
Crisologo expressed dismay at Belmonte’s camp for repeatedly denying that Beltran’s death was politically motivated.
Ironically, he and Beltran’s family were among those barred from entering Karingal while Belmonte headed the briefing.
Crisologo said he did not know why they were disallowed.
“The mere fact that we were not allowed entry shows that this is about politics,” he said. “We’re not saying that it is, but for them to fully discount the motive unequivocally, that speaks volumes.”