Police killed a suspected member of a syndicate engaged in the series of abductions involving Bureau of Internal Revenue officials during simultaneous raids at their safe houses in Caloocan City and Bulacan early Thursday morning.
The raiding team composed of men from the National Capital Region Police Office, PNP-Anti-Kidnapping Group, Special Weapons and Tactics Unit, Highway Patrol Group and Central Luzon Regional Police Office arrested four other suspects during the police operations around 2 a.m.
The authorities also seized a cache of high-caliber firearms and handguns, assorted ammunitions and grenades, bladed weapons and at least thee vehicles, including SUVs, motorcycles, cellular phones and other mobile gadgets, and police badges, IDs and uniforms used by the group in their criminal activity.
The police operations came in response to the directive of President Rodrigo Duterte to PNP police director Oscar Albayalde to look into the reports of kidnap-for-ransom cases involving BIR officials and personnel.
Metro Manila police director Maj. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar identified Leo dela Fuente as the suspect who was killed during a raid along Aster Street, Residencia Regina, Barangay Lola de Gato in Marilao, Bulacan.
Eleazar said the authorities were serving a search warrant at the house when Dela Fuente, who he described as a “key player” in the syndicate, engaged the police in a shootout.
“This is a joint operation we conducted against the kidnap-for-ransom group. Their modus is to abduct businessmen, as well as BIR officials. After they accosted their victims, they demand money from the victims or from their relatives,” said Eleazar.
“Some of them [suspects] were wearing police uniforms just like what we have recovered. In fact, policemen who went AWOL [absent without official leave], and even police and military officers in the active service are also part of this group,” he added.
The arrested suspects were identified as Rosalinda Garcia, Christine Joyce Garcia, Joseph Nicholas Garcia Jr. and Julieto Arrubio, a 75-year old retired government employee.
Eleazar said they have yet to determine the number of BIR officials who have been abducted and the amount of money involved, adding that there are no official police reports since the affected families are afraid to file formal complaints.
But the NCRPO chief said they have been monitoring the actions of the gang for over a year.
Also raided were houses located along Cuenco Street, Congress Village in Barangay 173 Bagumbong and at No. 47 Sikatuna Avenue Urduja Village, both in Caloocan City; and Block 11, Lot 14, Phase 2, Residencia de Muzon in San Jose Del Monte and Saint Rita Phase, Deca Homes Barangay Loma de Gato, Marilao, both in the province of Bulacan.
The authorities made the police operations based on the three search warrants issued by Quezon City Executive Judge Cecilyn E. Burgos. They conducted the raids in close coordination with barangay officials.