SIX members of two newly-identified criminal groups wanted for various criminal offenses were simultaneously arrested in Negros Occidental on Monday, February 4.
Chief Inspector Edison Garcia, public information officer of Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office, said the operation was led by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG)- Western Visayas and Negros Occidental Provincial Security Force in coordination with the Negros Occidental Provincial Mobile Force Company, and Negros Occidental Provincial Highway Patrol.
In Salvador Benedicto town, five alleged members of Pabayos group, an organized crime group, were served with arrest warrants for murder with no bail in Barangay Bagong Silang.
Police identified the suspects as Armando Remotigue, Antonio Baluran, Bernie Bantilan, Joel Condes, and Jolito Tanoco.
All five suspects are detained at CIDG-Bacolod office.
Senior Inspector Jerald Muya, town police chief, said the five suspects were allegedly behind the killing of Charlie Buli-Buli, former commander of the Revolutionary Proletarian Army-Alex Boncayao Brigade, in the town in July 2017.
Buli-Buli was shot to death by nine unidentified men while he was on his way to his farm, along with his 14-year-old nephew, who was unharmed on July 8.
Six of the nine perpetrators were arrested while two others already died.
Muya said the suspects were members of a potential private armed group existing in the town and operating also at the first district of the province.
He also said that they are validating reports that the suspects were allegedly tapping the New People’s Army.
The said criminal group has more than 10 members, he added.
In La Carlota City, James Awacay, an alleged leader of a newly-identified criminal group and reportedly involved in Double Dugo Gang, was served with an arrest warrant for frustrated homicide in Barangay La Granja.
The court has set a bail of P24,000 for his provisional liberty.
He is under the custody of CIDG- Negros Occidental.