FIVE alleged members of a gun-for-hire group were arrested by the Aliaga, Nueva Ecija police in a checkpoint on Sunday morning.
Brigadier General Jose Hidalgo, director of Police Regional Office III, said local police, and personnel of 1st and 2nd Provincial Mobile Force Company were conducting an anti-criminality checkpoint in Aliaga town when the suspects onboard a sedan vehicle passed.
The suspects were flagged down for routine inspection but various guns and ammunitions were discovered by police inside the vehicle.
The arrested suspects were identified as Ronnie Hernandez, Alfred Ledezma, Joey Pangilinan, Myra Hernandez, and Liezel Awing.
Ronnie Hernandez is the alleged leader of the Hernandez criminal group while the four are his members. The group was allegedly operating in Central Luzon, National Capital Region, and CALABARZON.
“They have been previously involved in several killings in Batangas and Quezon provinces,” said Hidalgo.
Police seized from the suspects an M16 rifle with magazines and ammunitions, three hand grenades, and four caliber 45 with magazines and ammunitions.
The suspects also yielded four grams of methampethamine hydrochloride (shabu) valued at P27,200.