Three brothers wanted for pastor’s murder are reunited behind bars in Dumanjug, Cebu

Mug shot of Abito Lañojan after he was arrested on July 6, 2021, in Barangay Talamban, Cebu City, via virtue of a warrant of arrest. | Photo from AKG-VFU

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Three brothers wanted for murdering a pastor in 2020 are reunited behind bars in Dumanjug town, southwestern Cebu.

The three were together again, only this time in jail, when 30-year-old Abito Lañojan was arrested on Tuesday, July 6, 2021 in Sitio Ilaya, Barangay Talamban, Cebu City. His brothers, Daniel Lañojan, 35, and Miguel Lañojan, 32, were previously arrested in Minglanilla town, southern Cebu last June 24.

READ: Brothers wanted for murder arrested in Minglanilla 

These siblings will be held in jail while they will be tried for the murder of Msgr. Celerino Encarnacion Marco, who was shot to death last September 13, 2020, in Sitio Budlasan in Barangay Liong, Dumanjug, Cebu.

Police said personal disputes on land and religious affiliation were the possible motives of the crime.

According to Police Lieutenant Zosimo Ravanes, team leader of the Anti-Kidnapping Group Visayas Field Unit (AKG-VFU), Abito denied being involved in the killing of the pastor.

“Ingon niya kay wala gyud siyay kalambigitan sa maong krimen kay didto siya sa Talamban ni adtong panahona nga gipatay ang (pastor) ug naa siyay mga witness nga kainom niya atong mga orasa nga gi ingon nga gipatay ang biktima nga ig agaw ra pud niya,” Ravanes said.

(He said that he is not involved in the said crime as he was in Talamban at that time that the pastor was killed. He has witnesses who he had a drinking spree with at the same time of the murder of the victim, who is also his cousin.)

He added that Abito also said that September was still at the height of the pandemic wherein it was impossible for him to go to Dumanjug due to strict border protocols.

The three are currently detained at the Dumanjug Police Station as they wait for the commitment order from the court.

/bmjo