2 men wanted for murder fall in Muntinlupa

MANILA, Philippines—Two men—one of them on the most wanted list of the Southern Police District (SPD) and the other a suspect in the killing of a father and his daughter—were arrested in separate operations in Muntinlupa City on Wednesday.

Loreto de Boda, who has outstanding warrants for homicide and murder issued by a Muntinlupa court, was caught in Barangay Poblacion following a week-long surveillance mission, said Supt. Jenny Tecson, acting SPD spokesperson.

“He is also involved in gun-for-hire and illegal drug activities in Muntinlupa and Laguna province,” Tecson said. The first warrant issued by Judge Philip Aguinaldo on April 25, 2012, was in connection with the killing of Obet Hidalgo, while the second, issued by Judge Leandro Catalo on July 23, 2012, stemmed from the Sept. 23, 2011 killing of Carl Tan. Both victims are from Muntinlupa City.

De Boda is now detained at the SPD headquarters.

Also on Wednesday, police arrested Felix Obalan, believed to be a member of the Michal Mangando gun-for-hire group, after they found a gun on him as he was walking around 4 a.m. in Purok 8.

Senior Supt. Allan Nobleza, Muntinlupa police chief, said police then received a tip that Obalan is a suspect in the killing of Edmundo Tan and his daughter Anniecka in Purok 5.

Tan was driving his tricycle with his daughter as passenger around 4 p.m. on Oct. 2 when a man on a motorcycle took shots at him, hitting him fatally in the head and the body. One of the bullets also hit his daughter who later died in the hospital.

A witness to the killing of the Tans was invited to the station hours after the arrest and identified Obalan as the gunman.

“Apparently, Tan owed money from someone who hired Obalan to kill him because he wouldn’t pay up,” Nobleza said. Obalan has yet to identify the person who allegedly hired him for the job.

Murder charges are set to be filed against the suspect.