ONE of two alleged drug pushers recently arrested by police in a buy-bust operation in Dasmariñas City, Cavite has confessed to being the gunman in the killing of a Cavite prosecutor in Trece Martires City last December 31.
Marvin Tagayon Linaban, 44, admitted his role in the murder of Trece Martirez assistant city prosecutor Edilbert Mendoza during questioning on the drug case he and his cohort are facing, according to PNP chief Dionardo Carlos.
Carlos said the admission of Linaban means the conclusion of the investigation on the murder case is drawing near.
“If all evidence and facts check out, the arrest of Linaban could be a major breakthrough in the investigation of the murder of Atty. Mendoza,” Carlos said in a statement.
Linaban and Elvin Esguerra, 40, were arrested by police during an entrapment operation last Friday night in Barangay H2 in Dasmariñas City. Esguerra was wounded when he shot it out with the cops.
The two yielded several plastic sachets containing shabu worth P69,000. Linaban and Esquerra also yielded a cal. 45 pistol and a 9 mm pistol, respectively.
During interrogation, police said Linaban admitted being the gunman in the killing of Mendoza, who was exercising in front of his house in Barangay Cabuco in Trece Martires City last December 31 when a lone suspect shot him dead.
Police said Linaban expressed remorse over the killing of Mendoza, adding he was ready to execute extra-judicial confession in the presence of a lawyer.
Meanwhile, a Chinese who is the subject of a warrant of arrest issued by a court in Cavite for possession of illegal drugs was intercepted by operatives of the Bureau of Immigration at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport before he could flee the country last week.
BI Intelligence Chief Fortunato Manahan Jr. said Lin Guanxiu was intercepted by his men on January 5 at NAIA Terminal 2 before he could board a Philippine Air Lines flight for Tianjin, China.
Manahan said Lin, 39, was initially denied departure clearance after the immigration officer learned that his name had registered a hit with the Interpol database.
His name was referred to the BI-Interpol unit and the National Central Bureau, which confirmed that Lin and the subject of the Interpol red notice are one and the same.
Lin was turned over to agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency assigned at the airport for custody pending the issuance of a commitment order from the court which issued the warrant for his arrest.
Manahan said Lin is the subject of an outstanding arrest warrant issued by Branch 23 Judge Caesar Buenagua of the Regional Trial Court in Trece Martires City, Cavite on June 10, 2019.
He was charged for violating Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, which carries the penalty of life imprisonment.
Manahan said court records showed that on Feb. 3, 2019, Lin and another Chinese were caught in possession of more than 273 grams of alleged shabu. — With Ashzel Hachero
