Fugitive barangay chair ‘falls ill’; cops agree on hospital arrest

By LITO RULONA
and NITZ ARANCON
Correspondents

POLICE on Wednesday “arrested” fugitive Pagatpat barangay chairman Achilles Jude Babaran at the city hallun JR Borja Memorial General Hospital in Barangay Carmen.

City police director Senior Supt. Ronnie Francis Cariaga said Babaran, who was ordered arrested by a court for two counts of rape, was found by a team of police officers led by Bulua police station commander Chief Insp. Alvies Altiche at around 10:30 pm. Babaran was in a hospital room at that time. It was a joint operation of the Bulua police and the City Public Safety Campany.

But police said Babaran had health problems and had to be confined. The barangay chairman would be placed under hospital arrest inside Room 334 of the government hospital.

“We temporarily placed Babaran under hospital arrest pero pag-duna na’y clearance sa doctor, we will bring him to court. Atong susihon kung kinahanglan ba siya nga ipabilin sa hospital,” said Altiche.

Cariaga said Babaran’s arrest came after police received information from  an informant via text message.

“Akong gi-ingnan nga i-verify ang maong report then pagdala daan sa warrant para ma-serve na dayun,” he said.

Babaran went into hiding after a warrant of arrest was issued by Judge Jose Escobido of the 38th branch of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) for two counts of rape filed by Rizalina Loyola, mother of Nephi Loyola who was found brutally killed inside one of the rooms of Sogo Hotel in Lapasan in July.

Police said Babaran did not resist arrest, and requested authorities to ask clearance first from his physician before they bring him outside the hospital.

Babaran declined to speak with reporters. Police are guarding his hospital room.

In July, he denied during a news conference that he had anything to do with Nephi Loyola’s murder. He then accused the Loyolas to trying to smear his name because of Pagatpat politics.

Rizalina, the murder victim’s mother who has sought protection from the Department of Justice (DOJ), said, “Nadala ra gyud siya sa pag-ampo nga nadakpan gyud siya. Migawas ra gyud ang hustisya.”

She vowed to pursue the case against Babaran as the principal complainant.

Rizalina said, “95 percent gyud ko nga sure nga duna siya’y kalabutan sa pagkamatay sa akong anak. Diretso na lang unta siya moangkon nga siya ang mastermind pagka-matay sa akong anak,” she said.