3 NAIA guards tagged as Bundol Gang tipsters

MANILA, Philippines - Government agents are closing in on three security guards assigned at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) who have reportedly been feeding information on potential victims to members of the Bundol Gang, an official said yesterday.

The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) and the airport police are closely coordinating with a security agency to invite the three security guards for questioning.

NCRPO director Chief Superintendent Nicanor Bartolome said it was alleged gang leader Allan Aristorenas and three other suspects who linked the three security guards to their group.

“We have determined the security agency where the guards belong. We are closely coordinating with management so we could question them with regards to the revelation of the suspects,” Bartolome said.

The NCRPO chief, however, said they have as yet no strong evidence linking the three security guards to the gang, except the verbal admission of the arrested suspects.

Aside from Aristorenas, the other suspected gang members are Robert Bonzon, Felimon Borillo, and Jeffrey Martinez. They were arrested this week in Parañaque City and Pasay City.

Superintendent Remus Medina, head of the NCRPO’s regional police intelligence and operations unit (RPIOU), said Aristorenas and his alleged cohorts revealed during tactical interrogation that the security guards would help Filipinos and tourists carry their luggage at the NAIA baggage lounge.

Medina said the guards would then send a text message to the gang, identifying the license plate and type of vehicle used by the intended victims.

According to Aristorenas, he and his gang members would wait near the Nayong Pilipino compound in a stolen vehicle.

He said they would follow the target vehicle and bump (bundol) it from behind or block its path, usually in a deserted area such as the C-5 Road where police officers are rarely seen.

Two of the gang’s reported victims, Gregorio San Diego and Ruben Frogoso, earlier said they strongly believe somebody had supplied the gang with information on them.

Medina said the four suspected Bundol Gang members failed to say how much the tipsters would get of the gang’s loot.

“We are now in the process of applying for a search warrant so we could raid the places pointed by the gang members as their safehouses,” Medina said in an interview.