Charges have been filed against the five suspects in the shooting of Christopher Ceniza, the executive assistant for market operations in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu.

The five include the alleged gunman, the driver of the motorcycle used in the shooting, a middleman, and two masterminds.

One of the two alleged mastermind is a department head at the Lapu-Lapu City Hall.

No less than Mayor Junard Chan confirmed that the other alleged mastermind and the alleged middleman are also workers of the city government.

The alleged middleman, Aldrin Peñaranda, a job order employee, said before prosecutors that he is willing to execute an extrajudicial confession.

He was arrested on January 9, 2024 for illegal possession of firearms but reportedly decided to admit to the crime after he learned that the alleged driver of the motorcycle turned himself in to the mayor.

The alleged driver, identified as Rodel Mojado, already executed an extrajudicial confession.

Prosecutors will evaluate the confession and determine if any of the suspects can be made into a state witness. They are also set to send a subpoena to the alleged masterminds.

PLt. Col. Christian Torres, spokesperson of the Lapu-Lapu City Police Office, said they have the alleged gunman in their custody. They reportedly arrested the man also on January 9 during a buy-bust operation.

NOT THE TARGET

Mojado told the press Ceniza was reportedly not their target.

He said that while he knows the alleged mastermind, he did not have direct communication with the person.

WELCOME DEVELOPMENT

Ceniza’s wife, Barangay Pajo councilwoman Jill Ceniza, welcomed the latest development in the case.

She said she is convinced of the information indicated in the extrajudicial confessions of the suspects.

SEPARATE PROBE

Chan, meanwhile, said the city government will open its own investigation into the case, especially that aside from being a department head, one of the alleged masterminds is also allegedly involved in illegal activities at the city market.