Ex-lover tagged as mastermind in murder of Cebu policewoman

CEBU, Philippines – The police filed on Monday, November 6, a murder charge against the primary suspect in the killing of a lady policeman, who was gunned down on her way home last October 31 in Barangay Basak, Mandaue City. (READ: Lady cop securing Cebu cemetery gunned down)

It turned out the alleged mastermind, Felix Pastorfide Taytayan, was the former boyfriend of PO1 Mae Feguis Sasing.

He was arrested by the Criminal Investigation Branch and the Intelligence and Detective Management Branch of the MCPO in Barangay Kaungkod in Madridejos town on Bantayan Island at around 10 am last Friday, November 3. 

Senior Superintendent Roberto Alanas, director of the Mandaue City Police Office (MCPO), said Taytayan was reportedly angry that the lady police officer refused to rekindle their relationship.

Alanas told reporters that the suspect had a relationship with the policewoman when they were still in college, both taking up criminology. However, the two ended their relationship in 2007.

Superintendent Bernouli Abalos, chief of the units that arrested Taytayan, considered the murder of the policewoman as a crime of passion.

“He wanted to marry her, but she already had a live-in partner,” Abalos told reporters Monday. Sasing was scheduled to marry her live-in partner in December.

Alanas said the police have a strong case against Taytayan. He said they already talked to several witnesses, who shed light on the murder of the victim.

One witness allegedly saw Taytayan visit Sasing at the Lapu-Lapu City Police Office hours before the policewoman was gunned down. Taytayan, who was teary-eyed when presented to the media, however, denied the allegations when asked by reporters.

Alanas said they are now looking for the driver of the motorcycle used during the shooting incident. He said witnesses pointed at Taytayan as the backrider who shot the police officer.

The MCPO formally charged Taytayan with murder at the Mandaue City Prosecutors Office Monday.

Sasing was on her way home after her shift as part of the security team tasked to secure Lapu-Lapu City’s cemeteries when she was shot by gunmen around 7 pm on October 31. She died in the hospital at 8:30 pm.

Sasing, who was assigned at the Public Safety Company of the Lapu-Lapu City Police Office, sustained multiple gunshot wounds in her body and on the back of her head. 

Initial reports showed the motorcycle-riding gunmen had been following her since she left the Lapu-Lapu City Police Office headquarters at past 7 pm.

At the crime scene, Soco operatives found 3 empty shells from a .45 caliber pistol. – Rappler.com