Two former barangay officials wanted for allegedly killing a policeman in Quezon City were caught after hiding for 20 long years.
One of the suspects, Alberto Javellana Jr., was arrested in Barangay Commonwealth on the strength of a long-standing warrant as the most wanted person in Station 13 of the Quezon City Police District.
His neighbor, Abdon Estrada, also fell in the police operation.
“They’re the suspects in the 2002 killing of a cop assigned to the Kamuning Police Station of QCPD,” P/Lt. Col. Roldante Sarmiento, chief of the Payatas Bagong Silangan police station, said.
Sarmiento said the suspects were having a drinking spree with the police when they had a heated argument that led to the victim being shot dead.
The suspects denied they killed the policemen and expressed surprise warrants had been issued for their arrests 20 years ago.
Javellana said other policemen were behind the killing and that he and Estrada only responded to the incident as village watchmen.
“When that happened, we responded, we were BSDOs, and the policeman was with us. The policeman who was with us was the one who shot and killed him,” Estrada was quoted as saying.