By SHIELA MAE BUTLIG
Correspondent
TAGOLOAN town police officers on Wednesday unwittingly arrested a suspect in last week’s killing of a traffic aide in Barangay Puerto, during a buy-and-bust operation shortly before midnight Wednesday.
Cagayan de Oro City Police Office spokesman Maj. Ivan Viñas said authorities were set on pressing murder charges against the alleged killer of Roads and Traffic Administration (RTA) traffic aide Mark Langam before the City Prosecutor’s Office.
Viñas identified the suspect as 24-year-old John Mark Virtudazo Rayon of Zone 4, Sta. Cruz in Tagoloan town.
Viñas said police were scheduled to file a complaint for murder “kay superior power siya (during the incident) ug treacherous iyang pagpatay.”
He said Rayon has a history of attacking traffic aides.
“Maoy responsable pagdunggab sa RTA personnel prior sa hitabo ni Mark Langam apan pakyas maigo,” Viñas said.
Rayon, who works as a “tricab” driver in the Puerto-Tagoloan area, was arrested by the Tagoloan police at 11:05 pm Wednesday during a buy-and-bust operation.
Police said they seized from Rayon five sachets of suspected shabu and a P1,000-bill that was used in the entrapment.
Lt. Ramil Langala, officer-in-charge of the Tagoloan police, said those who arrested Rayon had no idea that the suspect was a suspect in Langam’s shooting death in Barangay Puerto last week.
Langala said the arrest was purely because of the anti-illegal drugs campaign.
“Nakuha namo siya kay nigawas iyang pangalan nga nagbaligya siya’g droga, so among gikasa ang operation,” Langala said.
Langala said the Tagoloan police only found out that Rayon was linked to the Puerto killing when police investigators from neighboring Cagayan de Oro came.
“Naay nianhi dinhi nga personnel sa Cocpo. Gi-link siya. Wala pasad mi idea sa mga ebidensya,” he said.
Rayon, however, vehemently denied having a hand in Langam’s death. He said it was a case of mistaken identity.
“Ambot lang lagi kay angid-angid kuno sa akong nawong. Naay Ginoo. Limpyo gyud akong konsensya. Naa baya ko’y mga bata,” Rayon blurted.
He admitted to substance abuse on the night he was arrested.
“Nakagamit ko pero dili to akoa,” Rayon said.
Rayon said he also drove a “tricab” for a living until he became a sawmill laborer.
But Maj. Viñas said a witness to the murder in Puerto on Friday identified Rayon as the gunman.
“Maayo kay nakuhaan dayon namo og statement ang witness,” said Viñas.
Viñas said Rayon, aside from a murder case, is also facing the prospects of being tried in court for violation of the Dangerous Drugs Act.
