#1 hitman hit

Slain suspect allegedly a hitman of Albuera mayor

ONE of the alleged hitmen of the slain Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa was killed yesterday morning at Purok 15, Upper Piedad, brgy. Bato, Toril District in Davao City after resisting arrest by authorities.

Police said the suspect has a series of murder and other cases filed against him, and could have been behind the death of at least 20 persons. The slain man was identified as Leonardo Jake Bolanio dela Cruz, with aliases Leonard and Daot, a resident of Purok 15, Upper Piedad, Barangay Bato.

Chief Inspector Ronald Lao of Toril Police Station said the serving of four warrants of arrest for dela Cruz was a joint-operation of the Philippine National Police-Regional Intelligence Unit (PNP-RIU) Region 8 and RIU Region 11, together with the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) 11 and

and Toril PNP.

The warrants served yesterday were for the killing of two policemen in Albuera, Leyte.

There are also warrants of arrest for the suspect for violation of the Republic Act 8294 (high powered firearms); R.A 10591 (Illegal Possession of Firearms and Ammunition); and R.A 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drug Act of 2002).

"Matawag nga tirador siya sa mga Espinosa. Naa ta'y info nga og madakpan ni sa Albuera, Leyte makagawas lang gihapon sa impluwensya sa mga Espinosa (He can be regarded as a hitman of Espinosa. We have information that whenever he is arrested in Albuera, Leyte he is freed immediately after because of the influence of Espinosa)," Lao said.

Police authorities said the suspect was common-law husband of Espinosa's sister.

"Hitman ni siya, kay apil siya permi sa pagpamatay sa Albuera, kay kung gi-file tanan, moabot og baynte ka warrant tungod daghan siya'g gipamatay (He was a hitman since he was always involved in killings in Albuera. Had cases been filed for the killings he was accused of, the warrants could reach 20 because he is accused of killing many people)," Lao added.

Taken from the suspect's possession was an Uzi submachine gun.

Fled from Leyte

It is said that right after then Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte won the presidency, the suspect fled Albuera, Leyte.

The suspect was already in hiding after the President released the narco list and the Espinosas were included on the list.

The live-in partner of the suspect said she is not aware on the wrong-doings of the suspect since she last saw the suspect in 2016 after he fled Albuera.

Relatives

Lao revealed that the suspect has a number of kin in Barangay Daliao in Toril that's why he found a safe haven there.

The owner of the boarding house dela Cruz was renting a room in did not even know that he was a wanted person.

"Sa Daliao, mga dela Cruz mga paryente daw na sa suspek base sa atong pagpanubay (He's related to the dela Cruzes in Daliao, we were told)," Lao said.

The body of the suspect is now at the Angel Funeral Parlor of Toril in Davao City.