‘GUNMAN’ CAUGHT
Police arrest Jimmy Largo, 41, who is allegedly a ‘high-value target’ of the Cebu City police and PDEA Authorities found Largo in his house in Barangay Ermita, whose captain he allegedly ambushed
In less than 24 hours, operatives from the Regional Special Operations Group (Rsog) of the Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 caught the suspected gunman in the fatal ambush of Ermita, Cebu City Barangay Captain Felicisimo Rupinta.
Jimmy Largo, 41, an ex-convict, was identified by a witness as the one who ambushed them in Sitio Simborio, Tayud, Liloan last Thursday night.
“He is a high-value target of the Police Station 9 of the Cebu City Police Office and he is also included in the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency watch list,” said Chief Supt. Jose Espino, PRO 7 director.
Espino said that they’ve also identified the mastermind of the ambush.
“We are just preparing the affidavit and we will file this case against those who hired Jimmy Largo. They call themselves the Jimmy Largo Group, local gun-for-hires,” Espino said.
Supt. Rey Magdaluyo, Rsog 7 chief, said that they arrested Largo inside the latter’s house on F. Gonzales St. near the Carbon Public Market in Barangay Ermita.
Ongoing manhunt
“He was about to flee. He had packed a bag, which contained a white shirt that he may have worn during the ambush,” he said in Tagalog.
Largo, though, denied that he was the gunman.
“Nagkuha rako’g (I was just securing a) barangay clearance,” he said, shaking his head.
During the initial questioning, Largo admitted that he is a distant cousin of Jessie Largo, the gunman who killed Ronli Calizar, the son of a government employee.
Espino said that they are hunting down three more of Largo’s accomplices.
“He has been involved in so many unsolved shooting incidents in the area of Cebu City,” Espino said.
With Largo’s arrest, authorities are now 90 percent done with the case, he said.
“We arrested the gunman, we identified the mastermind and we determined the motive,” he said.
Espino said that Rupinta’s murder was work-related, not political.
“It was the work of the barangay captain... to clean his barangay and with the recent incidents there, we’re are looking at one angle, which triggered the crime,” Espino said.
Authorities, however, refused to divulge further details.
“It was based on what we gathered during our initial interview with the suspect,” Espino said.
Cebu Councilor Dave Tumulak said that they will still confer as to who will receive the P300, 000-reward money.
“To the supporters and allies of Kapitan Rupinta, let’s stay calm and give our trust to the police. To our leaders in politics and civilians, for any information, please coordinate with the police,” Tumulak said.
Police seized an Ingram sub-machine pistol loaded with 11 bullets, one .45 pistol with five bullets, one fragmented hand grenade, two medium sachets of shabu and a motorcycle that may have been used as a getaway vehicle after the ambush.
Largo will be charged with murder; violating Republic Act (RA) 10591, for illegal possession of firearms and explosives; and RA 9165, for illegal drugs.
We arrested the gunman, we identified the mastermind and we determined the motive. PRO 7 DIRECTOR JOSE ESPINO