Shooting spree arrests end ‘reign of terror’

MANILA, Philippines - The arrest of six men, including the alleged driver of the motorcycle in last weekend’s shooting spree, ended their  “reign of terror” in North Fairview, Quezon City Police District (QCPD) officials said yesterday.

QCPD director Chief Superintendent Richard Albano said the group of alleged driver Alsaid Mindalano and Mohammad Sandigan, the suspected gunman in the shooting spree, has been eyed in a series of violent attacks in the city. 

These include attacks on law enforcers – from the death of a policeman during a raid in 2011 to the ambush on a police team last year – and even the killing of a driver during a traffic altercation and the case of a teenager who was decapitated a few years ago, Albano said. 

Closed-circuit television videos show Mindalano, 28, as the one driving a red motorcycle in the three shootings before dawn Sunday.

He was arrested along with Bochary Mindalano, 28; Anmad Madkadato, 18; Cesar Ate, 45; Mangontawar Monib, 31; and a 16-year-old boy at their hideout in Fairmont Subdivision on Tuesday.

Sandigan was not there during the raid and remains at large.

Those killed during Sunday’s random attacks were Rodelio dela Cruz, 34; cousins Gilmer Gabronino, 35, and Angelie Auguis, 35; and businesswoman Alodia Grace Go, 37.

Robberies, killings

Chief Inspector Rodel Marcelo, head of the QCPD-Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit (CIDU), said Sandigan was identified as alias “Walad,” one of two men who allegedly robbed and killed a sales executive in November last year. 

The robbers took the victim’s motorcycle, which police officers traced to Baker street in Barangay North Fairview. However, the police team was ambushed by the robbers. Two policemen from the QCPD-CIDU were wounded in the encounter.

Inspector Elmer Monsalve, head of the homicide investigation section of the QCPD-CIDU, said the group is also being eyed in the ambush on policemen who raided an illegal firecracker stall, also in Barangay North Fairview, in December 2011.

Police Officer 2 Bernardo Quintero was killed in the gun battle while PO2 Jessie Adajar was hurt.

The red motorcycle used in last Sunday’s shooting spree had also been seen in another killing following a traffic altercation in Fairview in October last year, said Inspector Alan dela Cruz. 

Mutilated

When Mindalano was arrested on Tuesday, police found with his driver’s license a news clipping of a complaint by a resident about the violent attacks in the area, Albano said. 

The resident described the activities of a group reportedly led by a man identified as “Said.” According to Dela Cruz, “Said” is Mindalano’s nickname. 

The complainant said one of the group’s victims was a teenager whose fingers and limbs were mutilated. The teenager’s head remains missing.

The complainant said they find it hard to go out of their homes because they are terrified of Said’s group, the resident said.

Albano met with the families of some of the shooting spree victims yesterday.

One of them claimed that a man, posing as a police officer, went to the wake and asked details about the victim.

The QCPD chief said they will deploy police officers to secure the victims’ families.