OLONGAPO CITY – Joint elements of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) and the Olongapo City Police arrested on Wednesday afternoon three of the five suspects in the July 26 brutal killings of three Korean nationals here last week.

Sr. Supt. Guillermo Lorenzo T. Eleazar, CIDG regional chief, said they were able to arrest Dario Basalla, 34, of Sitio Botolan, Iram Resettlement, Barangay New Cabalan, this city; Willy Visda, 32, of Mambog, Botolan, Zambales; and Ronilo Cada, 49, of Lipaydingin, Iba town.

The arrest of the three came after they were positively identified by witnesses.

TV PATROL - ABS CBN CHANNEL 2 video of the arrest.

Eleazar said a female witness saw the five suspects scaling the fence at the back of the victims’ house on night of the killings. The witness added that she later heard the victims screaming at around midnight.

The victims were also identified by Eleazar as Suna Yoo, 32; her child Naheul Baek, 9; and Seok Hei Jang, 54, grandmother. The victims were relatives of Korean workers employed at a Hanjin plant in Subic.

Eleazar said Basalla was also arrested for illegal possession of firearms while Visda has also a warrant of arrest for estafa charges.

Cada was arrested in a follow-up operation in Barangay Mabayuhan, before dawn yesterday and was apprehended with a .38-caliber revolver in his possession. He also has a standing arrest warrant for murder.

The suspects are now facing charges of illegal possession of firearms, robbery, multiple homicide, and rape. (Mar T. Supnad - TEMPO)