Wanted man for killing minor over rugby nabbed

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – After hiding for almost three months, a man who was tagged for the killing of a minor due to an argument over rugby in Barangay Singcang-Airport here in June 2022 was arrested in Murcia, Negros Occidental last Tuesday.

Police Major Joery Puerto, head of Police Station 8, identified the suspect as Jared Dela Cruz, 21, of Barangay Singcang-Airport.

Dela Cruz is one of the station’s most wanted persons, according to Puerto.

Dela Cruz was hiding in Murcia town after he allegedly robbed his aunt in Don Salvador Benedicto town. His aunt reported him to Murcia Municipal Police Station, thus he was arrested there.

Upon checking the E-warrant system, the Murcia Municipal Police Station found out that he has an arrest warrant here, thus they coordinated with Police Station 8.

Based on the report of Murcia Municipal Police Station, the suspect was a minor aged 16.

But Puerto said that when Dela Cruz was turned over to their custody, he told him that he was 21 years old.

Puerto said that Dela Cruz has a standing arrest warrant for homicide issued and signed by Presiding Judge Maria Mercedes Odango-Saril of Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 54 here. The court had set bail at P120,000 for his provisional liberty.

The case stemmed from allegations that Dela Cruz shot a 17-year-old boy, who allegedly failed to give the rugby he asked the latter to buy.

Puerto said the suspect was an alleged thief in Barangay Singcang-Airport. He also has records for theft in Bago City and Pulupandan town, and physical injury in Barangay Singcang-Airport.

But some complainants did not pursue the filing of cases against him, Puerto said.