Manila: Police say they have arrested the key suspect in the New Year's Eve murder of a village official who managed to photograph his own shooting just seconds after the shot that killed him was fired.
The suspect, Arnel Buenaflor, did not resist arrest when he was cornered by police in Kalabasa, a village in northern Philippines' Isabela province yesterday, a week after he allegedly shot and killed Reynaldo Dagasa a local official, in Caloocan City's Maypajo district.
Buenaflor, a 26-year-old automotive painter, was collared in a joint operation by Isabela and Caloocan City police. His arrest followed information allegedly provided to police by his wife Lorraine Castro, police said.
Although assassinations of grassroots public officials have become increasingly common in the country, the circumstances surrounding the murder of Dagasa stand out.
The village councillor was able to take an actual picture of his own shooting just seconds before he was shot a by the assailant.
The same December 31, 2010 photo, which was taken by his kin while Dagasa was celebrating the New Year, were used by police in their investigations into the murder.
In the photo, Buenaflor was seen aiming a handgun at Bagasa.
The photo was also published by the Philippine Daily Inquirer on its website.
The local official was at that time outside his Maypajo residence with his family when the photo was taken and when he was shot.
Aside from Buenaflor, another suspected accomplice in the murder of the local official was Francis Bronjal who was also seen in the same picture.
The publication of the photo proved instrumental in the arrest of Buenaflor.
Bore a grudge
Buenaflor was reported as allegedly bearing a grudge against Bagasa after the latter played a role in his arrest.
The automotive painter was allegedly involved in an auto theft syndicate and it was the councillor who provided police with information that led to the apprehension of the former.