Army colonel wanted for double murder caught
PENARANDA, Nueva Ecija — A retired Army lieutenant colonel with arrest warrant for double murder and tagged as number 15 in Nueva Ecija’s most wanted persons’ list on Saturday night was arrested during manhunt operations in this town.
In his report to Police Regional Office 3 director Brig. Gen. Matthew Baccay, Nueva Ecija provincial police director Jess Mendez identified the arrested retired Army official as Pedro Mabalot Jr, 49, of Cecilia 2, Bgy. D.S. Garcia, Cabanatuan City.
The suspect, who was formerly assigned as deputy chief of the Management and Fiscal Office of the Mechanized Infantry Division at Camp O’Donnel in Capas, Tarlac, was nabbed by members of the local police headed by Capt. Ricardo Salomon Jr. at his farm in Bgy. Las Pinas at 7 p.m. on Saturday.
“Nahuli namin siya rito sa kanyang bukid, may hawak-hawak pa nga siyang pala (shovel) nang i-serve namin ang kanyang warrant, pero wala siyang baril,” Salomon told the Journal Group, in a phone interview yesterday.
Mendez said the suspect’s arrest was carried out by virtue of an arrest warrant for two counts of murder issued by Gapan City Regional Trial Court Judge Celso Baguio on October 27, 2017, with no bail recommended.
Police tagged the suspect as number 15 in the most wanted person’s list in the province.
“Mag-asawang taga-barangay Pambuan, Gapan City ang sinasabing naging biktima sa double murder case niya, pero ang alibi ng suspect ay napagbintangan lang daw siya rito,” said Salomon.
“Matagal na namin siya hina-hunting, pero kahapon lang namin siya natiyempuhan dahil umuwi siya rito sa farm niya,” the official added.
