Three Crips gang members arrested

Three alleged members of the Crips gang were arrested by Pardo police yesterday dawn, one for alleged involvement in a series of thefts and robberies and the other two for obstruction of justice.

Suspects Richie Alferez, alias "Erap", 22; George Zapanta, 30, and Fritz Bacalso, 26, all residents of barangay Inayawan, Cebu City, were arrested after a concerned citizen called the Pardo police station about an armed person near the Inayawan chapel.

SPO3 Sanrico Jolijole and PO3s Joel Sanchez and Herminiano Seares Jr. responded to the alarm and allegedly caught Alferez with a homemade .357 cal. revolver with five live bullets and a pack of suspected shabu.

Alferez reportedly fought back by punching them and calling them abusive, police believed Alferez did that purposely to get the attention of Zapanta and Bacalso who came and tried to pull him away from them.

Zapanta and Bacalso were arrested for obstruction of justice and police allegedly confiscated from them two packs of suspected shabu and drug paraphernalia. The three, who sustained injuries during the arrest, are now detained in Pardo Police station.

C/Insp. Alexis Relado said Alferez has been involved in a homicide case after he was tagged as the one who killed a rival gang member some months ago and the police are still waiting for the arrest warrant to be released so that they can arrest him.

Pardo police have also filed charges against Alferez for his involvement in series of armed robberies and burglaries that happened in their jurisdiction a few months ago. - Edwin Ian Melecio