Larumbe hit-and-run: Why it took months for cops to nab suspect

Aaron Karl Tan, the suspect tagged in the hit-and-run that killed former Cesafi player Jeslar Uriel Larumbe, was arrested by virtue of a warrant of arrest on Monday afternoon, May 6, 2024. | Screenshot from Ramil Ayuman FB video

CEBU CITY, Philippine – The police have arrested on Monday the prime suspect in the fatal hit-and-run of 23-year-old Jeslar Uriel Larumbe, more than 3 months since the incident happened near a church in Cebu City.

The suspect, Aaron Karl Tan, was arrested at his home in Brgy, Guadalupe in Cebu City at around 2:15 p.m. on Monday, May 6, 2024.

Tan is accused of hitting the motorcycle of Jeslar Uriel Larumbe near the Redemptorist Church in Cebu City last February 4 in a case of “road rage.”

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Follow-up investigation shortly led to the identification of Tan as the person behind the wheel of the gray sports-utility-vehicle where Larumbe hit his head after being bumped.

Closed-circuit television (CCTV) footages and testimonies of eye-witnesses pointed at Tan as the suspect despite his denial.

While the public expected that Tan would be immediately arrested, it took more than 3 months before he was finally brought by cops to the Guadalupe Police Station.

While many questioned why the arrest took months, law enforcers explained that this was because of the process they followed to make sure that the case is airtight.

Police Lieutenant Colonel Gerard Ace Pelare, spokesperson of the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7), relayed that it took longer because they wanted to ensure that the suspect will be convicted in court.

“This is because what we have done is we filed the case through preliminary investigation. Duha man gud kaklase ang arrest nga himuon sa law enforcers. Number one, kaning gitawag og warantless arrest, kaning wala na nanginahanglan og warrant because the offense or the crime was committed in front of the presence of the police officer or he was arrested through hot-pursuit operation,” he stated.

Pelare explained that despite the pressure from the public, they opted to conduct a thorough investigation and forward the complaint to the prosecutor’s office for preliminary investigation.

Moreover, a person cannot be charged again with the same offense if the case is terminated either by acquittal, conviction, or in any other manner by rule of double jeopardy.

Section 21, Article III of the 1987 Philippine Constitution, states that “No person shall be twice put in jeopardy of punishment for the same offense. If an act is punished by a law and an ordinance, conviction or acquittal under either shall constitute a bar to another prosecution for the same act.”

If the case was filed in a hurry without an extensive police investigation and the case was terminated, authorities would not have been able to charge Tan for the same crime.

READ: Road rage: Deadly encounters that can be avoided

As part of the preliminary investigation of the prosecutor’s office, Tan was made to respond through a counter affidavit. The pieces of evidence against him, however, reached the standard of reasonable certainty of conviction showing his guilt.

The prosecutor’s office then filed the information in court where a warrant of arrest was issued.

By virtue of this court ordered warrant of arrest, Tan was apprehended in his house as police were monitoring his whereabouts since the incident.

“This is an arrest by virtue of a court ordered warrant of arrest after a thorough and deliberate conduct of investigation…We don’t want haphazard investigation. We want to make sure nga ang atong ifile nga kaso sa korte, makaabot gyud hangtod sa conviction sa suspect,” stated Pelare.

As of this writing, Tan is detained at the custodial facility of the Guadalupe Police Station. However, he will be turned over to the Cebu City Jail in Brgy. Kalunasan once a commitment order has been issued.

After this, he will be waiting for the schedule of his hearing while in jail.

Months after Larumbe’ untimely death, law enforcers now consider the hit-and-run incident as a solved case and it is now up to the judge to decide on the case.

This development, described by Larumbe’s relatives as a noteworthy milestone, comforted the grieving family that the wheel of justice is moving.

Pelare also relayed that the PRO-7 commends the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) for the result of the investigation on the Larumbe hit-and-run case.

“The regional director, Police Brigadier General Anthony Aberin, commends the leadership of Cebu City Police Office, specifically Police Station 2, for this very very effective comeback of investigation which resulted in the issuance of warrant of arrest. And of course, the subsequent arrest of the suspect. He is now in detention and we are now ready to present our evidence in court,” he stated.