Nine persons accused in the murder of Calbayog City Mayor Ronaldo Aquino and the frustrated murder case for his security aide on March 8, 2021 are under police custody.

“The nine accused, Shyrille Tan, Harry Sucayre, Edsel Omega, Neil Cebu, Julio Armeza, Julius Garcia, Niño Salem, Dino Goles, and Randy Merelos, surrendered to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Detective Special Operations Unit on February 15, 2022 and are now detained at the DSOU custodial facility in Camp Crame,” PNP chief Gen. Dionardo Carlos said.

The accused are the subjects of warrants of arrest issued on February 14 by Presiding Judge Cicero Lampasa, Eight Judicial Region, RTC Branch 32 of Calbayog City.

They are accused in four separate criminal cases of murder docketed under criminal case nos. 9090, 9091, 9092 & 9093 with no bail recommended, and frustrated murder docketed under Criminal Case No. 9094 with recommended bail of 200,000 each.

Tan, Sucayre, Omega, and Cebu have since been dismissed from the service upon recommendation of the Internal Affairs Service and duly approved by the PNP in November 2021.

Other accused PNP personnel still in active service are placed under leave of absence without pay while under detention.

“The nine accused are now considered persons under police custody while awaiting further orders from the Court. The PNP commits its 100 percent cooperation in the prosecution of the case,” Carlos said. PNP-PIO