THE Police Regional Office – Cordillera (Procor) arrested three suspected members of the notorious acetylene gang who are based in the region.
Procor Regional Director Isagani Nerez, Baguio City Police Office Director Jesus Cambay, Operations Manager Rolando Miranda and Procor's Public Information Officer Davy Limmong presented the three suspects to media on Tuesday.
The three suspects are Requinio Dacmeg Jr., alias Ricky; Randy Pelkeng; and James Yayak.
Dacmeg, 36, a native of Sagada, Mt. Province was arrested on New Year's day while he was recovering from a gunshot wound of his back at the Saint Theodore Hospital in Sagada. He has three warrants of arrest issued by the different courts in Cavite and Olongapo City for robbery and illegal possession of firearm.
Pelkeng, 37, and Yayak, 44, were arrested a week after Dacmeg was nabbed. They are both natives of La Trinidad, Benguet. Pelkeng is wanted for robbery in Vigan City, Ilocos Sur while Yayak has warrant of arrest for robbery in Roxas City, Capiz.
The joint team of the Regional Intelligence Division of Procor, Anti–Kidnapping Group, and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group–National Capital Region arrested the two suspects at the El Pacifico Pension House in Sta. Cruz, Manila. The team was able to recover several pieces of jewelry, cash, and pawnshop receipts from the two suspects.
Limmong said they are still investigating if the gang is connected to the P50 million heist in a certain pawnshop in Isabela before the 2013 Christmas celebration. He added they are evaluating if the gang is also responsible in an attempt to rob Star Gold and Para Gem Pawnshops here in Baguio City last month.
Nerez encourages other victims of the three suspects in the region to surface and file appropriate cases before the court in order to attain justice on what they did.