Lover of slain Albasin arrested in Zamboanga

The boyfriend of 33-year-old May Azalia Albasin, who was murdered and thrown in Barangay Lawaan 1 in Talisay City, was arrested after he got out of Cebu last Wednesday afternoon.

Supt. Jason Villameter, the city police chief, said Leo Zafra was caught in Sergio Osmeña Sr., Zamboanga del Norte for carrying an unlicensed firearm.

Chief Insp. Romar Victoriano Lim, the Sergio Osmeña Sr. town police chief, told Superbalita Cebu that Zafra claimed he was robbed and asked for help from residents in Barangay Venus.

Around 2 p.m., Zafra was brought to the police station where he yielded an unlicensed .38 revolver. The police then arrested him. “Initially, mao na nga basis nga ma- hold siya. Upon interview, (he was) very confusing, makaduda ang story why naabot sa munisipyo. Iyang report nga gi-hold up siya. Walay signs nga na-hold up siya (The interview was very confusing, very dubious on why he reached the municipal building. His report was that he was robbed. But there were no signs),” Lim said.

Lim called Villameter and confirmed if Zafra is a resident of Talisay City. Villameter sent a picture of the businessman to Lim.

A team from Talisay City Police Station have been dispatched to fetch Zafra.

Zafra's alleged jealousy often drove him to beat Albasin.

Remy Albasin Lugan, the victim's mother, sought help from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) 7 last Wednesday, after allegations surfaced that some Talisay City police officers are Zafra's friends.

Agents led by NBI 7 Assistant Director Dominador Cimafranca went to Zafra's house in Barangay Lawaan 1, Talisay City on the same day, but he was not around. Zafra's daughter, a lawyer, answered NBI's questions.

The NBI obtained a footage from a closed circuit television (CCTV) camera, showing a man with similar features of Zafra outside a white vehicle on the spot in a subdivision in Lawaan 1 where the body of Albasin was found last Tuesday morning.

The car's license plate was also captured by a CCTV, radio dyHP reported.

When the NBI contacted the Land Transportation Office-Central Visayas, the latter confirmed that Zafra is the owner of the white vehicle.

Albasin's nine-year-old daughter said Zafra answered when she called the mobile phone of her mother. Zafra reportedly told her that he was mad at Albasin, then cut off their conversation.

Before Albasin's body was found, Zafra's househelp also claimed that Zafra told him that he would leave the house.