Thursday, July 16, 2015

Manila's #1 Most Wanted Criminal Arrested At A Jeepney Terminal In Baguio City

Jonathan D. Bassey used to sit on top of the Most Wanted Criminals list of Manila. This ended in the evening of July 14 (Tuesday) when policemen cornered and arrested him at a jeepney terminal located along Kayang Street in Baguio City. Known for his alias Dodong Simbolo, Bassey is wanted in Manila for multiple counts of murder. Manila Mayor Joseph Ejercito Estrada says he's wanted for seven counts of murder. An ABS-CBN News report puts the number as "two cases". Prior to his arrest, a bounty amounting to 200,000 pesos was promised by the Philippine National Police (PNP) to anyone who can help in catching the wanted criminal.

Bassey was able to elude the law for over six years. On August 7, 2007, Bassey allegedly stabbed to death a man named Allan Padilla along Batangas Street in Tondo, Manila. And on December 25, 2008, Bassey was accused of fatally shooting Mark Anthony Allan So along Almeda Street in Tondo. Bassey denied the charges. According to him, in one of the cases, he simply acted in self-defense.

Bassey was arrested through the joint efforts of the Manila Police District and the intelligence unit of the Baguio City Police Office. Police investigators were tipped off by a relative of one of Bassey's victims. Said informant reportedly saw a picture of Bassey on Facebook. Digging deeper, the investigators soon found out that the suspect was indeed hiding in Baguio City. He was finally arrested by the authorities last Tuesday evening.
Jonathan Bassey being presented to Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada by Rolando Nana of the Manila Police and Dante Lubos of the Baguio Police. Photo by Joel Santos via Estrada's Facebook page.