Organised crime gang operating in Negros oriental

1. 
   
   Pio DumagueteCity
   8 hrs ·
   FROM PNA NEWS:Suspect in string of robbery cases, murders, three others killed in shootout with police
   
   DUMAGUETE CITY, Oct. 19 (PNA) -– A murder suspect and alleged leader of a criminal gang and three of his companions were killed in a shootout with police officers in Sta. Catalina, Negros Oriental Sunday evening.
   
   This came as the Philippine National Police (PNP) in Negros Oriental is relentlessly going after wanted persons as mandated by higher headquarters.
   
   An initial police report identified the slain murder suspect as Michael Garsula of Barangay Malaunay, Valencia town in Negros Oriental.
   
   He is the leader of the Garsula gang that police have previously tagged as allegedly responsible for the murder of businessman Demeterio Larena III, and other crimes allegedly perpetrated by the group.
   
   The three others with Garsula remain unidentified at press time although police recovered from one of them a voter’s identification card that bore the name of Bonifacio Catano, said Chief Insp. George Badon, police chief of Sta. Catalina.
   
   According to the police chief, about 10 police operatives and Army soldiers comprising a composite group flagged down the four men, who were on board motorcycles, at Sitio Cambungao, Poblacion Sta. Catalina around 8 p.m. Sunday, and announced that they were government troops.
   
   The law enforcers were to serve court warrants of arrest against Garsula, Badon said.
   
   Garsula and his group, upon learning that these were police and military personnel, turned around their motorcycles, dropped to the ground and opened fire at the law enforcers, Badon added.
   
   A shootout followed which lasted for a few minutes where the four suspects were killed.
   
   Recovered from Garsula and his companions were a Caliber .45 handgun, a Caliber .38 revolver and an improvised shotgun, said Chief Insp. Badon.
   
   The bodies are now at a funeral parlor in Sta. Catalina, Badon said.
   
   Police chief Badon disclosed that Garsula was facing a number of arrest warrants, to include one for a murder case that was issued by Regional Trial Court Barnch 39 Judge Arlene Catherine Dato.
   
   Another arrest warrant for murder was also issued against Garsula by Judge Eric Maxino, as well as other court orders for his arrest in relation to a frustrated murder case and robbery.
   
   To recall, police investigators identified Michael Garsula as among those responsible for the death of Demetrio “Pororoy” Larena III, who was shot dead along the national highway in Sibulan, Negros Oriental on October 20, 2011.
   
   The 65-year old Larena, owner of a number of pawnshops, was driving his Pajero sport utility vehicle when armed men shot and killed him in broad daylight.
   
   Other suspects were identified as brothers Jimmy and Jerry Inocerta, who have also been linked to a series of robbery incidents in San Jose town.
   
   Michael Garsula and Jimmy Inocerta are also facing a murder case involving the death of a chief tanod in Malaunay, previous police reports had said.
   
   Meanwhile, provincial police director Sr. Supt. Dionard Carlos said they will look into the impact of Garsula’s death on the alleged crime group that he purportedly led.
   
   The firearms that were recovered from the slain Garsula and his companions will also be submitted for ballistics tests and cross-matching to determine if they will match evidences, such as slugs and spent shells, recovered from previous criminal activities in the province, Carlos added.

 

A, Philippines – Police said they have seized several balikbayan boxes that were found to contain guns, bullets and other illegal items.

The seizure took place on Monday – the items were from a cargo container which came from the United States.

Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency spokesperson said they confiscated 400 rounds of ammunition and two firearms in the shipment.

The container was shipped to Cebu City where it now sits in a warehouse at the Bureau of Customs.

BOC spokesperson said, “These contraband can be used by armed groups working for politicians in the 2016 elections.”

He also added that “If these were able to sneak out of Cebu, these will possibly go in the hands of goons.”

Officials noted that the bullets had an estimated value of 300,000 pesos, not including the two firearms which were a .38 cal. and a .357 mag. – the shipment originated form Oakland, California.

BOC officials said they will look into the identities of the shipper and the receivers of the noted boxes and file appropriate charges.

BOC Port of Cebu District Collector Arnulfo Marcos confirmed that they seized two revolvers with live ammunition from a returning resident to the Philippines.

 

OM PNA NEWS:Police arrest suspect in string of robbery cases in Dumaguete City

DUMAGUETE CITY, Oct. 21 (PNA) -- More than two weeks of intensive monitoring and intelligence gathering with regard the spate of robberies and holdup incidents in Dumaguete City paid off with the arrest and apprehension of a suspect, believed to be responsible for at least nine of the 22 reported incidents for the first 20 days of this month.

Dumaguete City OIC chief of police Supt Jovito Atanacio reported that his team of operatives finally cornered the suspect in Barangay Pulantubig on Wednesday morning after victimizing a call center agent, identified as Ramilyn Villarojo, 19 years old, single.

The suspect, a certain Jomark Bibe, of legal age, married, and a resident of Habitat housing in Barangay Balugo, Dumaguete, was arrested as a result of a hot pursuit operation.

Atanacio said nine of the 22 hold up victims in Dumaguete in the last three weeks pointed to one person, whose description matches that of Bibe.

The OIC chief of police, however, encouraged the victims to pursue the filing of charges against the suspect so justice can be served.

The victims include Marlee Moffat who lost an IPhone 5S, P2,500 in cash money, a Swiss knife and other belongings; Maria Meren Anticamara whose Samsung cellphone and a small amount of money was carted away by the suspect, and Jessel Pabuaya, all of them victimized in just one day. The three gave the same description of the suspect.

The following day, on Oct. 13, the suspect struck again, victimizing two persons in separate locations, namely, Jesice Caro who lost a cellphone and cash, and Maria Pilarica Doromal whose personal belongings were carted away such as a Samsung Duos cellphone, assorted identification cards and P8,000 in cash.

They were flagged down by a lone suspect riding a black XRM motorcycle and who announced a hold up while pointing a gun.

On Monday, Oct. 19, the suspect allegedly victimized three more individuals, one of whom is an assistant regional director of the Department of Health in Region 7 identified as Dr. Ma Julia Zamora Villanueva.

Taken from the doctor were assorted IDs, UP monitor ID card, PRC ad drivers license, a silver IPHONE 5S cellphone, credit cards and P4,500 cash money.

The two other victims were Laurencia Jandog who lost P1,255 cash money and assorted ID cards, as well as Glynda Cortes, who is 79 years old.

On Tuesday, Oct. 20, a suspct with the same description held up a call center agent identified as Ramilyn Villarojo at 6:00 o’clock a.m. Based on the statistics, all of the victims are women.

At the city detention cell, Bibe vehemently denied the accusations against him and said he was a victim of mistaken identify, and that he could show proof that during the time of the hold-ups he was in his residence in Balugo.

On the other hand, the police are closing in on other suspects based on the descriptions given by the rest of the victims. (PNA)

 

I wonder if they are responsible for this one, that word Again always makes me smile.
DAILY STAR: Negros Oriental

Jack