A former policeman wanted for the death of a family of three, including a Caloocan city hall employee, was arrested after hiding for 14 years in Butuan City.
Former Police Officer 2 Reynaldo de Castro, 53 was previously assigned at the mobile patrol unit of Caloocan Police Station.
Caloocan City Mayor Oscar Malapitan presented De Castro to the media on Monday. The former cop was arrested in Barangay Buhangin in Butuan City last Jan. 19 around 5 p.m. through a followup operation led by Chief Insp. Enrique Torres.
Torres said it took them time to transport the fugitive. De Castro is considered as Caloocan’s No. 3 most wanted.
Based on record, De Castro allegedly shot and killed victims Isidro Centeno Jr., a former Environmental Sanitation Services (ESS) employee of Caloocan City Hall, his wife, Leticia and son Servando, in Dec. 24, 2004, on Dimasalang Street, Maypajo, Caloocan City. Jun David
De Castro said he only protected himself, adding that it was just self-defense as the deceased family tried to gang up on him. The suspect added that it was his brother who was in trouble with the Centeno family and not him.
“I was the one who called for the police mobile patrol, but things turned the other way around,” De Castro, who served the police for 15 years, said.
De Castro ran away to his wife’s province when his warrant of arrest was released by the Calooca City Regional Trial Court Branch 125 in Aug. 17, 2005.
He said he did not try to fight back the arresting officers, as he also wanted to face the consequences of what happened and sought the forgiveness of the relatives of the slain victims.