Murder suspect captured after 29 years in hiding
TWO men wanted for gun-related crimes, one of them in hiding over the past 29 years, on Friday were arrested by agents of the Police Regional Office 2 in separate anti-crime operations, PRO2 director Brig. Gen. Steve Ludan told the Journal Group.
One of the suspects, Danilo Ruping, a 52-year-old native of Calanasan, Apayao tagged as the no. 1 most wanted person in Cagayan province, was arrested in Bgy. Balawag in Tabuk City in Kalinga province by members of the Iguig Municipal Police Station and the Tabuk City Police Station under the Cordillera Police Regional Office headed by Brig. Gen. Ronald Lee.
Ludan said that the suspect is the subject of a non-bailable warrant of arrest for murder issued by Judge Adrian Pagalilauan of the Aparri, Cagayan Regional Trial Court.
A record check showed that on October 27, 1992, the suspect and a cohort identified as Doroteo Daguna conspired with each other in shooting Celso Aquino, a resident of Pamplona municipality, to death.
Daguna had reportedly died a few years ago.
Ruping is being held at the Tabuk City police lock-up facility pending his presentation to court.
Ludan said that the other suspect is a 25-year- old laborer who was arrested in a hot pursuit operation after he shot his brother-in-law around 8:30 p.m. last Friday.
The Cagayan Valley police director said that suspect Eric Baclig, a resident of Bgy. Pattao in Buguey municipality, fired at his brother-in-law Eric Umoquit, 33, without any provocation before fleeing.
The gun attack took place while the victim was about to close the main door of their house in Bgy. Tabbac,
Ludan said that a daughter of the victim was able to identify her uncle as the one who shot her father. The witness said she saw the suspect standing near their fence before pulling the trigger.
