THE suspect in the killing of a policeman in Talisay City has started forming a robbery group before he was arrested in Tangub City, Misamis Oriental, said police.
Had he completed forming the group, Noel Simbajon and his cohorts would have targeted passenger buses in Misamis Oriental, said Chief Insp. Eddie Recamara, officer in charge of the Talisay City Police Station.
Recamara said the information was relayed to him by the chief of Tangub police who happens to be his classmate.
Recamara said the Tangub police were thankful that Simbajon was arrested while he was still recruiting members for the robbery group.
Police collared Simbajon in a checkpoint in Tangub on Wednesday.
Tangub was tagged as one of the suspects in the killing of PO1 William Mangubat, who was shot dead while chasing robbery suspects in sitio Mananga 2 in Talisay City last March 11.
Simbajon denied involvement in the crime and instead tagged brothers Jundee and Lito Oros as the killers.
The two brothers remain at large.
Recamara said the P100,000 cash that the Talisay City has set aside as a reward for those who could help arrest the assailants will be given to the Tangub Police and their assets./CORRESPONDENT GABRIEL C. BONJOC