MNLF leader issues warning after member tagged in shooting

From the Philippine News Agency (Feb 18, 2019): MNLF leader issues warning after member tagged in shooting

A sub-group leader of Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) based in this region warned Sunday that the organization will not tolerate any wrongdoing from its own members.

Datu Didilusan Arroyo issued the warning after confirming that one if its members has been tagged in shooting to death a carpenter in Barangay Puerto on Friday, Feb. 15.

Police identified the suspect as Devie Moralde, 41, married, a resident of Fatima West Plain Subdivision here. The victim was identified as Ruben Bacalso, 45.

Moralde's membership with the MNLF was confirmed from the identification card taken from his possession, which showed that he holds the rank of “lieutenant colonel.” The green-colored card bears the signatures of Arroyo and Nur Misuari, who is the group’s founder.
Arroyo said the MNLF has washed its hands from the case, and that Moralde must face whatever charges filed against him.
Senior Police Officer 3 Vladimer Tumada said Bacalso was with a group of men drinking in front of Moralde’s house when the incident happened at about 3 a.m.

Tumada said Bacalso succumbed to two gunshot wounds on his neck, causing his immediate death.

A .38-caliber handgun was used in the shooting, Tumada said, although they are still searching for the weapon.

He said that based on witnesses’ testimonies, Moralde and Tumada had a longstanding grudge that stemmed from the suspect's dissatisfaction with Bacalso’s job as a carpenter when he hired the latter to do some repairs on his house.

Following the shooting, Moralde went to Dologon, Maramag town in Bukidnon, and hid in an MNLF camp, reportedly under Arroyo’s command.

With the help of local media personalities, Moralde surrendered to authorities on Sunday.

Local reporter Jao Gumapac, who helped facilitate Moralde’s surrender, said Moralde told him he shot Bacalso out of self-defense and was not even aware that the victim had died.

“He (Moralde) said he managed to take the gun from Bacalso and used it to shoot the victim,” Gumapac said.

P03 Lemuel Tecson, the case investigator, said they're looking at charging Moralde with murder.

“The victim’s family said they are willing to file a case against Moralde,” Tecson said.

Moralde is currently detained at the Puerto police station.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1062162