Police nab one of Palace reporter’s assailants

MANILA, Philippines—One of the assailants of Daily Tribune’s Malacañang Palace reporter Fernan Angeles in March was arrested by the Pasig City police in a buy-bust operation on Saturday, a police official said.

Superintendent  Alfredo Calama-an, officer in charge of the local police, told the Inquirer  Saturday evening that alias JR, whose full name he said has not yet been determined by police as of press time, was arrested in Barangay Sto. Tomas after he sold  methamphetamine hydrochloride, or shabu, to operatives of the city’s anti-illegal drugs unit.

The police official said that the arrest was made around 2 p.m.

One sachet of, Calama-an said, was retrieved from Angeles’ alleged assailant.

The suspect’s companion, an alias Eddie Kabayo, was also arrested in the operation, Calama-an said.

The police official said that Angeles himself positively identified the suspect as one of those who attacked him near his house in Barangay Pinagbuhatan on March 11.

He said that JR also responds to the aliases JR Payat and Boy Praning.

Police are still on the lookout for one alias Basare.