The group’s spokesman, who introduced himself as Ka Ryan, identified their prey as one Eric Francisco whom he alleged had stolen no less than 49 cars and motorcycles in Nueva Ecija in the past three years.
Francisco, Ka Ryan further claimed, had operated mostly in the Nueva Ecija towns of Gapan and Talavera.
Provincial police officials, however, said the vigilante gang is composed of guns for hire who are also involved in drug trafficking.
Ka Ryan belied this, saying police have been unable to go after big-time criminals in the province.
Last Tuesday, President Arroyo, accompanied by Philippine National Police chief Director General Hermogenes Ebdane Jr., went to Tayug, Pangasinan to personally congratulate the policemen who arrested the five suspected car thieves.
The five suspects were PO2 Elmer Ramos, 26, formerly with the Eastern Police District in Metro Manila; Jason Javier, 27; Erick Pacheco, 30; Ronald Raymund Cabales, 34; and Edgardo Martinez, 39.
They were arrested by a joint team of the 107th Provincial Mobile Group, led by Chief Inspector Ricardo Revita, and the Umingan police headed by Chief Inspector Manuel Landingin.
"Our police force is sending a clear message. The fight against crime makes no distinction between the man in uniform and the man in plain clothes," the President said.
Police recovered from the five suspects a blue Ford Lynx (with license plate WRK-260), and a white Toyota Corolla (UFL-231). — With Eva de Leon, Myds Supnad and Jaime Laude