• THERESA MAE DULMAN
Police have arrested three of the four suspects in the fatal shooting of American marine biologist, Dr. Kent Edward Carpenter, in Barangay Ajong, Sibulan, Negros Oriental July 12.
P/Capt. Stephen Jaynard Polinar, spokesperson for the Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office, confirmed July 16 that the alleged gunman, a 26-year-old identified by the alias “M.O.”, was arrested at around 9:56 p.m. July 15.
The second suspect, alias “JF”, 40, tagged as the one who allegedly raped the victim’s Filipino partner, was apprehended shortly at around 10:35 p.m.
The third suspect, who was reportedly the lookout, “CD”, 21, surrendered to the Sibulan Police at around 4:06 a.m. July 16, while the fourth suspect remains at-large.
Polinar said at a press briefing that the suspects were positively identified by Carpenter’s live-in partner.
“We are still in the process of extracting the affidavits. It’s too early for us to give our opinion if there is a mastermind in this incident. As to the remaining at-large (suspect), we’re still continuing the hot pursuit operation against,” he stressed.
Police Regional Office-Negros Island Region (PRO-NIR) director, Brig. Gen. Romano Cardiño said the case remains under active investigation, with follow-up operations underway to apprehend the remaining suspect.
“We assure the victim’s family, the foreign community, and the public that PRO-NIR will relentlessly pursue all those involved until everyone responsible is held accountable before the law,” Cardiño said. | TMD
