BALANGA CITY – The Philippine National Police on Thursday announced the arrest of the suspected leader and three alleged members of an organized crime syndicate involved in hijacking and gun-for-hire operating in Bataan, Pampanga, Tarlac and Bulacan.
Insp Dennis Orbista, provincial police information officer, identified the suspected leader as Arnold Pantig, 40, barangay chairman of Tagumpay, Orani, Bataan. Alleged group members are Arturo Mariano, 38, of Talimundoc, Orani; driver Dominador Pantig, 35, of Cataning, Hermosa, Bataan and Reynaldo Retondo, 39, of Mandama, Hermosa.
Confiscated from the suspects were three caliber .38 revolvers, a fragmentation grenade, 12 live ammunitions, masking tape and a Hyundai van.
The four were charged for illegal possession of firearms and explosives, violation of the election gun ban and highway robbery, Orbista said. The barangay chairman, Mariano and Pantig were brought for inquest at the Provincial Prosecutors’ Office in Balanga City. Retondo was detained at the Hermosa municipal jail.
Police led by Senior Insp. Elmer Santiago, Hermosa police chief and Insp. Edgardo Bernardo of the Public Safety Management Company first apprehended Retondo for illegal possession of a caliber .38 revolver.
Orbista said upon interrogation, Retondo allegedly revealed his involvement in the group of hijackers victimizing delivery trucks of chicken and soya products. The suspect also told police that the group was again planning another heist with the use of a Hyundai Grace van as their usual getaway vehicle.
Acting on the information, Senior Supt. Arnold Gunnacao, Bataan police director, organized a team of operatives and set a checkpoint at the Roman Superhighway in Barangay Culis, Hermosa.
Flagging down the Hyundai van at about 1 p.m. Wednesday, the operatives found in the possession of the barangay chairman, Mariano and Pantig two caliber .38 revolvers and a fragmentation grenade, Orbista said.
Discovered in the van were a roll of masking tape and a used one. Police said the group used masking tape in covering the mouth of their victims.
Police said their recent victims, the driver and truck helper of a cargo truck loaded with chicken broilers pinpointed the suspects as the ones who held them up last Sunday of 17,800 heads of chicken broilers worth P714,000, 223 sets of chicken crates valued at 334,000 and 45 steel covers worth P90,000.
Insp Dennis Orbista, provincial police information officer, identified the suspected leader as Arnold Pantig, 40, barangay chairman of Tagumpay, Orani, Bataan. Alleged group members are Arturo Mariano, 38, of Talimundoc, Orani; driver Dominador Pantig, 35, of Cataning, Hermosa, Bataan and Reynaldo Retondo, 39, of Mandama, Hermosa.
Confiscated from the suspects were three caliber .38 revolvers, a fragmentation grenade, 12 live ammunitions, masking tape and a Hyundai van.
The four were charged for illegal possession of firearms and explosives, violation of the election gun ban and highway robbery, Orbista said. The barangay chairman, Mariano and Pantig were brought for inquest at the Provincial Prosecutors’ Office in Balanga City. Retondo was detained at the Hermosa municipal jail.
Police led by Senior Insp. Elmer Santiago, Hermosa police chief and Insp. Edgardo Bernardo of the Public Safety Management Company first apprehended Retondo for illegal possession of a caliber .38 revolver.
Orbista said upon interrogation, Retondo allegedly revealed his involvement in the group of hijackers victimizing delivery trucks of chicken and soya products. The suspect also told police that the group was again planning another heist with the use of a Hyundai Grace van as their usual getaway vehicle.
Acting on the information, Senior Supt. Arnold Gunnacao, Bataan police director, organized a team of operatives and set a checkpoint at the Roman Superhighway in Barangay Culis, Hermosa.
Flagging down the Hyundai van at about 1 p.m. Wednesday, the operatives found in the possession of the barangay chairman, Mariano and Pantig two caliber .38 revolvers and a fragmentation grenade, Orbista said.
Discovered in the van were a roll of masking tape and a used one. Police said the group used masking tape in covering the mouth of their victims.
Police said their recent victims, the driver and truck helper of a cargo truck loaded with chicken broilers pinpointed the suspects as the ones who held them up last Sunday of 17,800 heads of chicken broilers worth P714,000, 223 sets of chicken crates valued at 334,000 and 45 steel covers worth P90,000.
