Manila cops arrest suspected hired guns

MANILA, Philippines – The Manila Police District arrested six alleged members of a gun-for-hire gang operating in the city during a raid Friday night, an official said yesterday.

MPD director Chief Superintendent Rodolfo Magtibay presented the suspects before Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim at the city hall yesterday morning.

Magtibay identified the suspects as Ronnel Abuloc, 29; and his brother Randel, 24; Christopher Enriquez, 19; Darwin Dioniso, 20; Julius Jose Castro, 19; and Marissa Borja, 42.

Police officers from the MPD’s District Police Intelligence Operations Unit (DPIOU), who raided a house in Tondo, Manila, recovered a .38 caliber revolver, a .22 caliber pistol, 14 .357 caliber bullets, 13 .38 caliber bullets, five fan knives, shabu paraphernalia and 15 plastic sachets of marijuana leaves from the suspects.  

Magtibay said the policemen were armed with a search warrant issued by Regional Trial Court Branch 34 Judge Romulo Lopez during the raid.

Intelligence chief Superintendent Ernesto Fojas Jr. said the gang, allegedly headed by the elder Abuloc, is responsible for a series of robberies in Manila, particularly along Jose Abad Santos street in Tondo.

The male suspects also reportedly belong to the “True Brown Style” street gang, whose members have been involved in several skirmishes with its rival, the Commando gang, Fojas said.

He also said police consider the elder Abuloc as an “armed and dangerous criminal” as he is a suspect in several murder and homicide cases.

DPIOU commander Chief Inspector Fernando Opelanio said they raided the house as the suspects were “preparing to attack” members of the rival gang.

Fojas said they are “profiling” the arrested suspects to determine their involvement in unsolved robberies in Manila.