Notorious cop killer captured in Nueva Ecija after 28-year manhunt

CAMP OLIVAS, Pampanga — A fugitive wanted for the murder of a police officer and a string of violent crimes was arrested over the weekend in Nueva Ecija, ending a 28-year manhunt, the Police Regional Office 3 (PRO3) confirmed Monday.

The suspect, identified as alias “Pandong/Ed,” 57, a former member of the gun-for-hire syndicate Atacador Group, was apprehended on 26 October in Barangay Mapalad, Sta. Rosa, during a joint operation led by PRO3’s Regional Intelligence Division.

Authorities linked him to three crimes: two counts of murder (non-bailable) and one count of frustrated murder (P100,000 bail). He is accused of killing PO1 Ronald Diamat and wounding SPO2 Samuel Bulan during a failed arrest attempt in Sta. Rosa in 2000, and is also implicated in the 1990s murder of a security guard in Cabanatuan City, which solidified his notoriety.

The arrest followed a coordinated operation involving Sta. Rosa police, the Nueva Ecija Provincial Police, and tactical units of the Regional Mobile Force Battalion. The operation falls under the PNP’s Enhanced Managing Police Operations (EMPO), a program targeting high-risk fugitives through intelligence-driven missions.

Police described “Pandong/Ed” as a key member of the Atacador Group, a syndicate behind assassinations and robberies across Nueva Ecija, Aurora, Cavite, and Nueva Vizcaya during the 1990s and early 2000s.

“Today, we honor PO1 Diamat, SPO2 Bulan, and all victims who waited 28 years for this moment. No family should endure decades of uncertainty. This arrest is our pledge: justice may be delayed, but we will never let it be denied,” said PBGEN Ponce Rogelio Peñones Jr., PRO3 regional director. He credited the breakthrough to the relentless efforts of law enforcement and the courage of witnesses who cooperated with investigators.

The suspect will face arraignment at Cabanatuan City’s Regional Trial Court. His capture marks a milestone in PRO3’s campaign to neutralize Central Luzon’s most wanted criminals.