‘Motorcycle Gang’ leader arrested

The alleged leader of the so-called "Motorcycle Gang," believed behind a series of robbery cases in Mandaluyong City, was arrested by the police during a brief shootout in Makati City yesterday.

The arrest of the suspect, Rhed Castillo, 35, brought to seven the number of gang members accounted for since Superintendent Sukarno Ikbala, Mandaluyong City police chief, launched an all-out operation against the group last week.

Ikbala said three other members of the gang are now being hunted. At least 30 of the gang’s victims positively identified Castillo through the rogue’s gallery of the police. Ikbala said Castillo was also pointed to by his accomplices as the one who gunned down, Dominique Morano, 21, a student of the Don Bosco College last June 3.

Morano resisted when Castillo and a companion, riding tandem on a motorcycle, robbed him of his cellphone, cash and jewelry. Castillo shot him thrice in the body, Morano died on the spot.

Six of the gang members were presented earlier by Ikbala to Mayor Abalos. They were Mark Calanza, 21; Alex Pine, 24; Eugene Gatchalian, 23; Marvin de los Santos, 29; Edwin Pablo, 25, and Oscar Oca, 26, Ikbala’s men conducted follow-up operations in Bulacan, Marikina City and Manila but failed to find Castillo. However, an informant tipped him off of Castillo’s presence at H. Santos street in Tejeros, Makati at 2 a.m. yesterday. A team headed by SPOI Jener Cruz was met by gunfire from an unlighted old house made of wooden materials.

Castillo was escaping through the rooftops of the houses in the squatters area when the lawmen spotted him. He was cornered after a brief chase. He was unarmed, Ikbala said.

Ikbala said Castillo then led police to two other motorcycles his gang used in their robbery operations. The police recovered a total of eight motorcycles and five assorted firearms from the suspects. – Non Alquitran