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Wednesday, January 05, 2005
Kidnap gang leader, wife killed in encounter
By Chris Navarro
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- A leader of a notorious kidnap-for-ransom gang and his wife were killed during a recent police operation against kidnappers at the Miyabe Court in the City of San Fernando, authorities said.
Pardito Gang leader Mario Pardito, 33, and his wife Andrea Alonso, alias Rona Marie Aquino, 21, were both killed when the grenade Mario had intended to throw at police operatives exploded in his hand, said Central Luzon police director Chief Superintendent Rowland Albano.
Operatives of the National Anti-Kidnapping Task Force and the Pampanga Provincial Police Office had cornered Mario and Andrea in Room 215 of Miyabe Court last December 31 and the two resisted arrest.
Albano told a press conference Tuesday that Mario had intended to throw the grenade at policemen but it exploded in his hands.
Senior Superintendent Leonardo Espina, Pampanga police director, said Mario was ranked 13th in the country's most wanted list.
He had a standing warrant of arrest for kidnapping and serious illegal detention charges in relation to his abduction of Anastacia Cu Chua and Tropio Amista Maca in Los Baņos, Laguna on August 28, 2003.
He added that Mario carried a P500,000 reward on his head.
The Pardito kidnap-for-ransom group, Espina said, operates largely in the National Capital Region, and Regions 3 and 4.
Prior to the incident, Albano said police also arrested four members of the group in a safe house in St. Jude Subdivision, City of San Fernando on December 24, 2004.
Espina said the stakeout efforts of police on supposed hideouts of the gang in Regions 3, 4 and Metro Manila yielded positive results when the raiding team arrested suspected gang members identified as Alberto Pardito, Renato Enoceno, Edna Cabaes and Salvador Ariona.
Espina said his office has been closely coordinating with National Anti-Kidnapping Task Force executive director Colonel Francis Lanuza to monitor the activities of the gang.
Police recovered from the group 2 .45 caliber pistols, M3 sub-machine gun, an M2 carbine, a .22 caliber RG revolver, assorted magazines, several rounds of ammunition, two pieces MK-fragmentation grenades, P148,000 in cash, US$500 dollar bills, seven assorted bank accounts, six automated teller machine (ATM) cards, a Samsung cellphone and wigs apparently used in their operations.
The bodies of the victims were taken to the Torno Funeral Homes in the City of San Fernando, where they will be autopsied by crime laboratory service personnel.
The four arrested suspects are being detained at the regional police headquarters before being transferred to Manila.
Second district Representative Juan Miguel "Mikey" Arroyo lauded the Central Luzon police, Pampanga police and anti-kidnapping task force for neutralizing the kidnap group.
"First of all, I would like to congratulate the PNP Region 3 for this accomplishment of ridding the world of lawless elements involved in kidnap-for-ransom. This is a manifestation that the police and the government are doing their best to maintain peace and order in our community," Arroyo said.
Arroyo added that he and third district Representative Reynaldo B. Aquino are one with the police in their drive to stop all forms of criminality in their districts.
(January 5, 2005 issue)
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