‘Lifestyle check’ on Doce Pares gang

Police are conducting a "lifestyle check" on suspected members of the "Doce Pares" gang to identify and seize their assets believed to have been amassed through kidnap-for-ransom, robberies and other criminal activities.

Officials said the Philippine National Police (PNP) has existing policy, rules and regulations for the seizure of the ill-gotten wealth of suspected members of crime groups like the Doce Pares, which has been tagged in kidnappings and robberies in eastern Metro Manila and Rizal province.

Chief Superintendent Oscar Valenzuela, director of the Eastern Police District (EPD), ordered the lifestyle check following reports that alleged members of the gang, mostly police officers, were driving luxury vehicles.

"There is an ongoing lifestyle check on suspected gang members," said Valenzuela, adding that several policemen are included in the lifestyle check to determine if they are involved in illegal activities.

Initial reports reaching Valenzuela showed that the gang’s alleged leader, PO2 Joel Tapec, has constructed a 15-door, two-storey apartment in Barangay Palatiw in Pasig City.

Another gang member, PO1 Roel Palana, yielded a dark blue Honda Civic after being arrested for his involvement in the robbery-slay of one-year-old Erica Charlene Guevarra.

Senior Inspector Alfredo Paneda, head of the Criminal Investigation Unit (CIU), said they have not determined the assets of two other gang members — PO1 Candido Vallejo and PO1 Roger Villarente.

Vallejo, Villarente and Palana are under police custody while Tapec remains at large.

Senior Superintendent Felipe Rojas Jr., intelligence chief of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), said they are conducting a parallel lifestyle check on Tapec, Vallejo, Palana and Villarente.

The lifestyle check would be initiated by CIDG director Chief Superintendent Ricardo Dapat, Rojas said.

Combined elements of the EPD, Rizal PNP provincial command and the CIDG- Rizal are now hunting down eight other members of the gang.

"We identified the remaining eight gang members and we are now in the process of bringing them into police custody," a police official said. — Non Alquitran