Suspect in several shootings arrested

Arrested person is part of the notorious brothers in Dalaguete

THE suspect in the string of shootings in Dalaguete town, including the murder of a woman who was dumped down a cliff, was arrested by police last Wednesday.

Senior Insp. Joseph Birondo, head of the Dalaguete Police Station, identified the suspect as Odillo "Bukoy" Salonoy, 25, of Barangay Jolomaynon, Dalaguete.

Confiscated from Salonoy were a .357 revolver with six live bullets, two medium packs of suspected shabu, a fragmentation grenade and magazine from a .45 pistol with six live bullets.

Bukoy was sighted by police allegedly disposing of drugs in Sitio Hawklandia, Barangay Poblacion.

A brief chase ensued between Bukoy and policemen but the former was cornered with the help of the Regional Public Safety Battalion 7.

Bukoy and the Salonoy brothers have been tagged in several shootings in Dalaguete.

Birondo also alleged that the brothers are involved in illegal drug peddling.

The Salonoy brothers are allegedly responsible for the murder of Jenny Vergara, whose body was found last Tuesday at the foot of the cliff in Barangay Consolacion, a mountain village in Dalaguete.

Birondo said Vergara was killed before she was thrown down the cliff as police noticed blood-stains five meters away from the body.

Vergara and her live-in partner are in the police watch list of suspected drug personalities and their alleged suppliers are the Salonoy brothers.

A complaint for frustrated murder was filed against the Salonoy brothers in connection with the shooting incident in Barangay Jolomaynon last Sept. 12.

The victim, Honorato Quevedo, 64, survived the attack and identified the Salonoy brothers as the assailants.

A personal grudge was eyed as the motive of the attack after Quevedo's son reportedly filed a complaint against the suspects.

"Hadlok ang mga tawo aning mga magsuona kay pamatyon kuno nila tanang laki sa pamilya basta mo- file ug kaso (People fear these brothers because they are rumored to kill all men in the family if a case will be filed)," Birondo said.

When interrogated by police about the shooting incidents, Birondo said that Bukoy denied having a hand in the crimes.

Police are now preparing a complaint against Bukoy for possession of firearms, drugs and explosives.