Rob gang member nabbed at Caloocan checkpoint

MANILA, Philippines - A man who admitted to being a member of a robbery gang that is at the top of the Metro Manila police’s Order of Battle (OB) was arrested at a checkpoint in Caloocan City yesterday.

Jayson Baltazar, 25, a resident of Tondo, yielded a .45 caliber pistol with nine bullets and a sachet of suspected shabu when he was apprehended at around 6:30 a.m. at the corner of Dagat-Dagatan Avenue and C-3 Road, according to Caloocan police chief Senior Superintendent Jude Santos.

Also recovered from Baltazar’s wallet was a calling card of a ranking Manila Police District official.

Chief Inspector Rodrigo Soriano, Caloocan police investigation chief, said Baltazar, alias AJ, is the right-hand man of Ernesto Gutierrez, the alleged leader of the “Junior Bait” rob group, which is on top of the OB of the National Capital Region Police Office.

“Intelligence reports claimed Baltazar is the trusted henchman of Gutierrez, and during interrogation, the suspect admitted to be a member of the Junior Bait rob group,” Soriano told The STAR.

Soriano said Gutierrez is facing at least two robbery with homicide cases in Caloocan City courts.

Baltazar was still undergoing tactical interrogation yesterday at the Caloocan City Sub-station 2 in Dagat-Dagatan.

Senior Police Officer 3 Allan Dematera, Police Community Precinct 7 commander, said his men were manning the checkpoint when two men on a speeding motorcycle suddenly stopped upon seeing the law enforcers. The motorcycle skidded but its driver, whom police said was Gutierrez, was able to maneuver and escape en route to Navotas City.

The back rider, who turned out to be Baltazar, fell and was left behind. When police approached the suspect, he pulled out a handgun but was immediately disarmed by PO1 Louie Aaron Siscar.