Air Force reservist faces murder, rob raps

An Air Force reservist accused of masterminding the killing of a real estate broker and two robberies in barangay Carreta, Cebu City was arrested shortly before noon yesterday.

Sgt. Roger Acojedo, a resident of barangay Gun-ob, Lapu-Lapu City, allegedly had a .45 caliber pistol and a hand grenade in his possession when he was arrested by operatives of the City Intelligence Branch of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) and Special Weapons and Tactics (Swat) team.

Chief Insp. Romeo Santander, chief of CIB, said it was robbery suspect Sandy Kho who implicated Acojedo in the killing of Edgar Cañete, who was shot dead outside a bank in barangay Banilad last Dec. 2.

Kho admitted his participation in the crime. He said it was his cohort who fired at Cañete while he drove the getaway motorcycle.

Kho was arrested at a checkpoint in barangay Maribago, Lapu-Lapu City last Monday dawn.

Kho also tagged Acojedo as the author of the plot to rob businesswoman Wella Rosal, who lost P800,000 cash and checks worth P1 million to two armed men in barangay Inayawan, Cebu City last Saturday, said Santander.

Acojeda was also accused of masterminding the robbery of a pharmacy in barangay Talamban, Cebu City last Dec. 7. Kho also claimed Acojeda is a gun supplier.

Acojedo denied the allegations against him.

“Wa jud na mahitabo nga mo supply ko og armas labi na sa tulis (It never happened that I supplied guns to someone especially masterminding robberies),” said Acojedo.

Acojedo said that aside from being an Air Force reservist, he is also a real estate broker.

According to Santander, Acojedo was spotted toting a firearm in Lapu-Lapu City past 11 a.m. yesterday.

A barangay tanod alerted the Lapu-Lapu City Police Office (LLCPO).

Operatives of the LLCPO, led by city director Rey Lyndon Lawas, responded to the alarm but Acojedo had already left aboard a taxi when they arrived in the area.

Lawas alerted their counterpart in Cebu City that led to Acojedo’s arrest.

Acojedo was with two females on board a taxi when police arrested him.

Santander said robbery charges will be filed against Acojedo.

Acojedo said he was on his way to the office of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Central Visayas (PDEA-7) on R. Landon Street when police flagged down the taxi he was riding.

He said PDEA-7 agents raided his house a few days ago and that he wanted to go to the agency’s office to clear his name.