The Philippine National Police has allotted a P10- million bounty for the arrest of the leader of a gun-for-hire syndicate catering to some politicians in Northern and Central Luzon.
Chief Supt Glenn Dumlao, director of the PNP Anti-Kidnapping Group, said the reward money was aimed at pinning down Ricardo Peralta, the leader of the gun-for-hire group working for incumbent politicians and candidates for the 2019 elections.
Dumlao said Peralta was guilty of criminal activities in Nueva Ecija in 2001, when a hit man was paid a substantial amount while a spotter got P3,000 to carry out a mission.
The P10 million is a huge amount and a great help for the PNP to track down and eventually arrest Peralta,” Dumlao said.
Last week, five members of the Peralta syndicate were arrested in a series of police operations in Isabela and Quezon City, but they failed to corner Peralta who is the subject of several warrants of arrest for multiple murder, kidnapping, carjacking and highway robbery.
Dumlao said the Peralta group was being used by some local chief executives to neutralize their political rivals.
The Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption has also collaborated with the PNP in an attempt to stop the criminal acts of the Peralta group.
“We are calling on the PNP leadership to please neutralize this gun-for-hire syndicate,” Evangelista said.
“This gun-for-hire group is being used to eliminate individuals or groups this coming election.”