Cop accused of being a Teves’ hitman nabbed
A POLICEMAN accused of acting as a “hitman” for the Teves family in Dumaguete City was arrested by agents of the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group right inside the PNP National Headquarters in Camp Crame on Tuesday morning, PNP-CIDG director Brig. Gen. Romeo M. Caramat Jr. said yesterday.
Members of the PNP-CIDG Detection and Special Operations Unit, National Capital Region Field Unit and the Negros Oriental Provincial Field Unit arrested Staff Sergeant Noel Alabata Jr. alias “Alfonsoe Edena Tan” in front of the PNP Drug Enforcement building in Camp Crame at 8:50 a.m. Tuesday.
According to Caramat, the suspect was arrested on the strength of two warrants of arrest – one for attempted murder issued by Judge Glenda Yee-Uymatiao of the Dumaguete City Regional Trial Court Branch 35, and the second for attempted homicide issued by Judge Dinah Tabada-Chu of the Dumaguete City RTC Branch 1.
A P120,000 bail was recommended for the temporary liberty of the accused in connection with the attempted murder case filed against him.
The Dumaguete City RTC Branch 1 recommended a P36,000 bail for his temporary liberty in connection with the attempted homicide case.
Caramat said their investigation showed that SSgt. Alabata used to be a member of the PNP-DEG Regional Office 6 who has been accused of being used by the Teveses as a “hitman” for a certain “Ong,” who was described as a business rival of the Teveses.
There were no other available information on the case provided by the PNP-CIDG. However, during a Senate hearing last April, one Jason Ong, the owner of a small “tocin” restaurant in Dumaguete City, said he survived an assassination attempt, which he claimed was triggered by an attempt by suspected Negros Oriental 3rd district Rep. Arnolfo “Arnie” Teves’ to get his business.
Ong was among the 60 people brought to the Senate by Pamplona Mayor Janice Degamo, the widow of the late Negros Oriental Gov. Roel R. Degamo, to testify about their experiences with killings in the province.
The arrested policeman was taken to the CIDG-DSOU office for documentation and temporary custody pending an official commitment order from the court.
“Patuloy ang pag-verify namin sa akusado na itinuturong gunman ng mga Teves upang malaman kung meron pa itong mga kinasasangkutan na kaso. Magiging patas kami sa lahat ng aming makukuhang impormasyon at sisiguraduhin na mananagot siya sa ating batas,” Caramat said
