La Union’s most wanted man linked to 7 murders arrested in Quezon
CAMP DIEGO SILANG, La Union — The most wanted man in this province, suspected to be the leader of a gun-for-hire group allegedly involved in two politically motivated killings and five other murders, was arrested by police in Calauag town, Quezon, and presented to media here last Wednesday.
Senior Superintendent Angelito Dumangeng, La Union Police Provincial Office ( PPO) director, said Joel Ordinado, a native of Barangay Nalasin, Balaoan town, this province, is also the No. 4 most wanted man in Region 1.
Dumangeng said Ordinado had gained notoriety among police investigators in Region 1 for his alleged involvement in the ambush-slaying of Bacnotan Councilor Onofre Almojuela in March, 2014 and the assassination of Edwin Cua, president of the Liga ng mga Barangay, also in Bacnotan in June last year.
“Probers are looking for witnesses to directly link Ordinado to these politically related crimes,” said Dumangeng.
Upon his arrest, Ordinado also had three pending arrest warrants issued by the Balaoan Regional Trial Court (RTC) for the murders of Joel Fonta- nilla on Jan. 5, 2012; Jayson Estela on Feb. 6, 2012; and businessman Ramel Cabanban on Jan. 19, 2013.
Ordinado is also facing a murder case before the prosecutor’s office in San Juan, La Union for the fatal shooting of Efren Padua in 2013 and another murder case before the Agoo RTC for an incident that happened in Pugo, La Union on May 16, 2013.
The suspect, who was arrested by joint operatives of the La Union PPO, the Provincial Intelligence Branch, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group 1, the Regional Intelligence Unit, the Quezon PPO, and the PRO-1 -Regional Intelligence Division, is now detained in San Fernando City.