MANDAUE CITY, Cebu – Three members of the notorious “Kuratong Baleleng” and Ozamis Robbery Groups were killed while two others were arrested when police here attempted to arrest them in two simultaneous but separate operations last Friday.
The Mandaue police Intelligence Branch was serving search warrants for alleged gang members Eduardo Omac Baliling and Frederez Secretario when shootouts with other members of the group occurred.
The first operation was conducted in Sitio Paradise, Barangay Looc at around 11 p.m.
Armed with a search warrant issued by Regional Trial Court Judge Mercedita Dadole-Ygnacio, police were set to search Baliling’s house when they were suddenly fired upon by the suspect and his companions.
During the shootout, Baliling and fellow gang member Henry Labajo, a native of Zamboanga City, were killed by police.
Their companion, Elizalde Colanag, 59, of Tagbilaran City in Bohol, was arrested.
Police recovered from the scene two caliber .45 pistols owned by the suspects killed in the operation. Police also recovered a .38 pistol from Colanag.
In the same hour, another local police team also implemented a search warrant against Secretario in Barangay Tingub.
But as police operatives were set to arrest Secretario, a shootout also occurred which resulted to the death of Jessie Parojinog. Arrested during the operation was Parojinog’s nephew, Niel, 24.
Police Lt. Col. Bernouli Abalos, who led the operation, said Parojinog initiated the shootout when they attempted to serve the search warrant on Secretario.
But Secretario was able to flee as Parojinog and the police were locked in a shootout.
Abalos said they have been conducting a month-long surveillance on the two subjects just before applying for a search warrant.
He confirmed that those arrested and killed were members of the notorious Kuratong Baleleng Group and Ozamis Robbery Group.
Abalos said they received reports that members of the group were hiding in Mandaue when they were disbanded in Ozamis City following police operations there.
He said that they were also conducting investigation to determine their contacts in Mandaue. “May ina-alam pa tayong location, kasi yung grupo nila, iba-iba ‘yung location at bumalik sila ngayun sa robbery nung mainit na drugs,” Abalos added. (Lesley Vestil)
