THE Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) has increased the reward for the arrest of suspected gun-for-hire leader Ricardo Peralta to P10 million.
“’Yung reward money we strongly believe na very effective especially kung ang reward money is substantial reaching to P10 million it is a strong instrument or weapon to capture ‘yung mga wanted person,” VACC president Boy Evangelista said in a press conference in Camp Crame.
As this developed, the PNP Anti-Kidnapping Group (AKG) said it is monitoring a mayor in Central Luzon who is allegedly coddling Peralta based on the accounts of five members of the Peralta group who were apprehended earlier.
Chief Superintendent Glen Dumlao, AKG director, said that together with the local police, they were conducting a case build-up against the said mayor whom he refused to identify.
Dumlao said they have also identified two other politicians who have been using the Peralta group for their illegal activities.
Evangelista said the reward money was increased with the help of Gapan Mayor Emerson Pascual, whose brothers Erickson and Ebertson were killed by Peralta's group in 2016 allegedly on the order of then Gapan Mayor Ernesto Natividad.
On Monday, the Philippine National Police (PNP) announced the arrest of five members of the “Ric Peralta Group” identified as Dennis Matias, Mary Ann Mallare, Raymond Dequina, John Lana and Jackie Lou Isidro.
Recovered from the suspects were two assault rifles, two handguns, one carbine conversion kit, one shotgun, a grenade, two improvised explosive devices, 22 different ATM and credit cards, four mobile phones and three sports utility vehicles believed to have been used in the group’s illegal activities.
The PNP said Peralta and his group were behind several assassinations in Nueva Ecija, Bulacan, Tarlac, Metro Manila and Cagayan Valley.
PNP chief Oscar Albayalde said the group is being tapped by politicians especially during election period.
Dumlao commended the VACC for providing such a big reward which may lead to the arrest of Peralta.
“Ang pinakamaganda dito ay ‘yung eyes ng community ‘yung tipster, ‘yung P10 million hindi naman ‘yung (nagkakanlong sa kanya) ang magti-tip sa amin siguro ‘yung bataan (tao) n’ya, ‘yung caretaker n’ya sa farm, ‘yung taga-luto doon, yun ang tatawag sa amin na nandito to hindi si governor at hindi si mayor,” he said. (SunStar Philippines)