4 suspects in killing of Nueva Ecija priest nabbed

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Oscar Albayalde has announced the arrest of four individuals in the killing of Fr. Richmond Nilo in Nueva Ecija last month. (Photo courtesy: Leo Sarne, Radyo Pilipinas via PNA)

MANILA — Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Oscar Albayalde has announced the arrest of four individuals in the killing of Fr. Richmond Nilo in Nueva Ecija last month.

In a press briefing in Camp Crame Monday, Albayalde showed a video footage of suspect Omar Mallari a.k.a. “Bulik” admitting to the killing in exchange for a payment.

According to the PNP, Omar had been recruited by Rolando Garcia who in turn was asked by primary suspect Manuel Torres to scout for a gun-for-hire to kill the priest. Aside from Garcia, a certain Mario Torres also surrendered to policemen.

As for the motive of the crime, the police said Manuel Torres bore a grudge against Fr. Nilo after the victim accused his nephew, a seminarian, of abusing three altar boys. The altar boys later recanted their statement against Torres’ nephew.

An initial suspect, Adel Milan, who was initially identified by a witness was freed last Thursday.

Albayalde also showed and noted the similarities in the facial features in photos of Milan, Omar and the cartographic sketch of a then unknown suspect before the arrests were made.

Mallari’s arrest also came after police recovered vehicle registration papers in his name covering the engine block of a Nissan Sentra which had been burnt and sold for scrap shortly after the incident.

Persons using the vehicle were seen surveilling the priest before the killing.