EIGHT to 15 members of the Parojinog drug syndicate are allegedly in Central Visayas to continue their illegal activities, said Senior Supt. Julian Entoma, director of the Mandaue City Police Office (MCPO).
Mandaue police are coordinating with the intelligence division of the Police Regional Office 7 to monitor the report.
Entoma based his statement on the killing of members of the security team of Ozamis City Vice Mayor Nova Princess Parojinog.
The security personnel who were killed in Barangay Cubacub, Mandaue City last Sunday were in the watchlist of Ozamis police.
The two were identified through their voter’s ID as Mark Lester Castillo, 40, of Purok 3, Baybay San Roque, Ozamis City, and Renan Mabida, 35.
They lived in Purok 2, Cubacub.
Police Regional Office 7 Director Chief Supt. Debold Sinas said they received reports that the Parojinog robbery group has moved to Mandaue City to escape the heat in Ozamis.
Sinas ordered the MCPO and the Lapu-Lapu City Police Office to dig deeper into the incident.
Sinas said one of the fatalities was reportedly involved in the robbery incident in Robinsons Place Cebu in Cebu City in 2011.
Entoma said they received the alarm of a shooting incident on H. Abellana corner Cubacub Sts. at 9:10 p.m.
The two victims were riding a motorcycle. Mabida was the driver and Castillo the passenger.
Two persons carried out the attack, with one as the gunman. The two were on foot when they attacked.
Mabida fell first. Castillo managed to run but he was chased by the gunman. The two suffered multiple gunshot wounds.
The assailants quickly fled the scene through a motorcycle waiting not far from the crime scene.
Harry Altirado, 30, of Canduman, was hit by a stray bullet in his arm. He was declared safe later.
Entoma said that based on the statement of a witness, the victims stopped next to a taxi when attacked.
Entoma said there could have been a transaction going on between the victims and the passengers of the taxi, and the assailants knew about it.
Recovered at the crime scene were 10 gun shells.
After learning that the victims were from Ozamis, the MCPO coordinated with the Ozamis City Police Office, and confirmed that Castillo was a former chief security of Vice Mayor Parojinog, and was known to be involved in the illegal drug trade in the city. Mabida was a member of the same security team.
The two were also considered high value targets by the Ozamis City Police Office.
Entoma said that the victims arrived in Mandaue City last March. Castillo disguised himself as a seaman waiting for his assignment abroad.
Entoma said the two were drug couriers plying the Mindanao to Cebu route. They reportedly stored drugs in a warehouse in Mandaue City.
“Their modus is to rent several hiding places. They made sure their families were safe. They would show the public that there were no illegal activities in where they lived. But in secret they were renting other places where they operated their illegal activities and kept the drugs to be distributed in other areas. They wouldn’t sell you drugs in their public residence so the neighbors wouldn’t suspect,” Entoma said.
Investigators are looking at a rivalry among drug groups operating in Mandaue as motive behind the killings. (KAL, Fe Marie Dumaboc, AYB & Mark Joven Igot, USJ-R intern)