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Camp Gen Alejo S Santos, City of Malolos, Bulacan – The swift response of Bulacan Police Provincial Office ( Bul PPO ) resulted in the arrest of four perpetrators involved in the murder of a small fishpond pond owner on August 28, 2022.
Acting Provincial Director of the Bul PPO, COl. Charlie Cabradilla, identified the arrested suspects as Maricel Beltran, the victim’s wife, as the mastermind; Benjie Garcia, the hired gunman; and cohorts Romie De Guzman and Anthony Velasquez, the victim’s foster son, as the middle man. The victim was identified as Ryan Beltran, a 39-year-old businessman in Brgy. Maligaya, San Miguel, Bulacan.
In line with the investigation, on August 27, 2022, at around 11 p.m., the victim’s wife said that while they were sleeping at their rest house in Brgy. Maligaya, San Miguel, Bulacan, went to the restroom and left her sleeping husband. She returned after hearing a gunshot and found her husband’s body covered in blood. The victim was rushed to a hospital in Japan, Nueva Ecija, where he was declared dead by a physician.
On August 28, 2022, the said suspects were arrested in different joint follow-up operations by the operatives of the San Miguel and San Ildefonso Police Stations together with the Bulacan Provincial Intelligence Unit (PIU). Maricel, the victim’s wife together with the victim’s foster-son Anthony was arrested through the execution of extra-judicial confession and text messages through their cellphones. Also, one of the gunmen, Benjie Garcia, was caught in Brgy Pulong Bayabas, San Miguel, Bulacan, where a caliber 45 and a hand grenade were seized. Benjie’s cohort, Romie De Guzman, was caught in Brgy Kalawakan, DRT, Bulacan, where a Cal. 38 pistol was seized.
The timely reaction, coordinated efforts, and intelligence-driven operations undertaken by the operational teams of the Bulacan PNP led to the speedy resolution of the case and the placement of the criminally culpable suspects behind bars,