Task Force created to probe Orda slay

Metro Manila police chief Deputy Director General Romeo Peña created yesterday Task Force "Orda" to go after a syndicate believed behind the ambush-slayings of a retired Manila policeman in Pasig City and the son of a Manila prosecutor in Parañaque City.

Peña said the newly-created Task Force would gather evidence to pin down the syndicate for killing retired Manila policeman SPO4 Eduardo Benavidez last March 6 and Francis Orda last Apr. 2.

"The group has just started working and we expect results to follow," said Peña.

The Task Force is headed by Superintendent Cipriano Querol, head of the Camp Bicutan-based Regional Intelligence and Special Operations Office (RISOO). The intelligence divisions of the Western, Southern and Eastern Police Districts are part of the task force.

The police strongly believe that Benavidez and Orda were slain because they crossed the path of a syndicate behind the multi-million illegal FX terminal racket in Liwasang Bonifacio, Manila.

The syndicate has also in its payroll a number of mediamen, who attack city hall and police officials who threaten the existence of their racket, a police investigator said.

For using their illegal terminal, the syndicate collects P30 for every trip of an FX taxi plying the Lawton-Cavite and Lawton-Laguna routes. – Non Alquitran