Suspect in Roxas village chief’s murder nabbed in Batangas

By Felipe V. Celino 

 

ROXAS CITY, Capiz – The suspect in the murder of the village chief of Lawaan here four years ago was arrested Thursday in Batangas City.

Pol. Lt. Col. Ricardo Jomuad Jr., Roxas City police chief, said they received information that a certain Joey “Tata” Bacus was arrested for illegal possession of firearm.

When police checked his background, it was discovered that he has a warrant of arrest for murder, a non-bailable offense.

Bacus is one of the suspects in the murder of the late punong barangay Elvis Asis of Lawaan here.

But Jomuad said that he has yet to coordinate with their counterpart in Batangas on what really happened.

He said they will also coordinate with the Batangas police for Bacus’ transfer to Capiz.

Bacus is one of the suspects charged for murder and attempted murder relative to Asis’ death.

Asis was gunned down while on board a motorcycle that Joselito Casela drove around 8 p.m. of April 27, 2018.

In a 10-page resolution dated Aug. 28, 2018, the Roxas City Prosecutor’s Office dismissed the complaint against Rogelio Buaron for “lack of probable cause.”

Asis’ wife Jocelyn, who was elected village chief of Lawaan after her husband’s death, and Casela filed the murder and frustrated murder complaints against Bacus, Buaron, and a John Doe.

In his affidavit, Casela positively identified Bacus as the one who shot Asis using a .45-caliber pistol.

Bacus denied the accusation in his counter-affidavit.