(PHOTO COURTESY BY INQUIRER)
OZAMIZ CITY— Reports from Pangasinan
police confirmed their arrest on the identified aunt of the late Mayor Reynaldo
Parojinog Sr., her husband and their son last April 19.
The said report mentioned that they
have in detention Councilor Rizalina “Peque” Francisco, husband Manuelito alias
“Maning” or “Lapad” and son, June alias “Omboy”, ex-chieftain of San Roque,
after they were stopped at a checkpoint along a Diversion Road in the village
of Brgy. Bangcusay, San Fernando City.
Police C/Supt. Romulo Sapitula, Ilocos
police regional director, said the Franciscos were on their way back to Metro
Manila with six other people in a rented Toyota Innova when they were stopped.
According to the PNP, the Francisco
couple was facing cases for illegal possession of firearms and explosives.
Maning was marked as one of the
organizer and planner of the dreaded Parojinog-Kuratong Baleleng Group which
had been linked to cases of robbery, extortion, drug trafficking and contract
killing.
Another briefer stated that
Francisco and his gang is known for its complex and advanced carnapping schemes
in which expensive cars are stolen and released to the blackmarket.
Earlier, television reports have
said the Franciscos fled to Metro Manila and were allegedly in hiding after a
police raid in their house where guns and explosives were recovered.
A PNP report released last year
said the Franciscos transferred from one place to another knowing they were
being hunted by the police.
A warrant of arrest against the
Franciscos was issued by Presiding Judge Edmundo P. Pintac RTC 10th Judicial
Region Br. 15, Ozamiz City, here, last Feb. 6 for violation of RA 9516.
The suspects are now detained at
the San Fernando Police Station and will be turned-over to the Regional Trial
Court, here.
In related news, an arrested
village chief of Kinawe, Libona,
Bukidnon town, is suspected to have coddled Councilor Ricardo “Ardot” Parojinog
who has gone into hiding after the death of his brother and is now declared
wanted by police.
SPO4 Noel Oclarit, CIDG-Northern
Mindanao chief investigator, said they arrested Cherry Barros and 18 others
last Saturday.
A joint team of police and military
operatives served a search warrant for Barros but were fired upon as they were
about to enter the Barros compound located in Zone 3, Kinawe.
A firefight ensued that lasted for
almost an hour and only when they ran out of bullets that the armed men
surrendered to the authorities.
Three soldiers were wounded in the
confrontation, while 19 individuals were apprehended along with various types
of firearms and ammunition confiscated at the crime scene.
Cherry’s husband, Tarcisio and a
still unidentified person were said to have escaped following the firefight as operatives
continued their pursuit of the suspects who got away.
Oclarit said the two persons who
escaped during the raid were possibly hit and wounded owing to a trail of blood
responding agents saw on a pavement.
A Bombo Radyo report dated April 21
has recognized the unidentified person as Ricardo “Ardot” Parojinog, basing its
report from CIDG Cagayan de Oro Team head Supt. Melgar Devaras who assessed a
tip that Parojinog had been staying at the Barros compound, though they could
not verify yet if he was one among those who managed to elude arrest.
It can be recalled that the former
councilor was included in the most wanted posters put up in this city last year
by a group of concerned citizens. The Department of Justice has also placed him
under the immigration lookout bulletin.
He has a previous P1-million bounty
for his arrest. But in September, last year, President Rodrigo Duterte offered a
P5-million bounty for the capture of Parojinog and even encouraged soldiers to
go to the mountains and hunt for him when they’re off duty.
Meanwhile, the CIDG said they have
established the connection between Parojinog and Barros’ group as true and
definite since most of the suspects they arrested have corroborated they are
members of the Kuratong Baleleng and have, in fact, come from Ozamiz. (BY
MICHAEL MEDINA)
