Kuratong gang now in Cebu?

CEBU -- Police are now linking remnants of the notorious Kuratong Baleleng gang to the string of robberies here.

Intelligence operatives have reportedly discovered that the robbery suspects hail from Ozamiz City where the notorious gang originated.

But city police operations chief Anthony Obenza said his operatives are still confirming an intelligence report that the Kuratong Baleleng gang is now operating in Cebu.

Obenza said the confirmation would come the moment they get in touch with Ozamiz City police and courts.

Theft and robbery section chief Romeo Ibones, however, said his men had confirmed that gang members arrived last week, but failed to get information where they would strike.

Ibones said it was evident that the suspects were the same persons who held up pawnshops and lending and money exchange establishments in the past few months.

Police regional community relations chief Zosimo Magno said the suspects are remnants of the Kuratong Baleleng gang, whose leaders had long been neutralized.

Police officials said they are currently tracing other possible cases involving the suspects in Ozamiz so they could enforce standing warrants of arrest.

Kuratong Baleleng is a racketeering group which started its operations in Ozamiz in the early 1960's. It was first involved in smuggling, but eventually went into other criminal activities such as robbery and extortion.

Last Saturday, Moneyline Credit Corp. was robbed of almost half a million pesos by three unidentified men.

Hours later, a Cebu-Toledo V-Hire was held up by three men who shot dead one of their victims.

A moneychanger in Sanciangko lost about P300,000, while the Royal Life Pawnshop was robbed a few months ago.