Roxas sacks Calabarzon police chief over Ozamis gang members' slay

MANILA, Philippines - Interior and Local government Secretary Mar Roxas on Wednesday sacked Calabarzon regional police director Chief Superintendent Benito Estipona over the killing of two arrested leaders of the Ozamis crime group.

Roxas said the deaths of Ricky Cadavero, head of the notorious Ozamis holdup-robbery group, and Wilfredo Panogalinga Jr., raised serious doubts and said he was elevating the investigation to the directorate level of the Philippine National Police.

The interior chief appointed police Director Catalino Cuy, currently PNP Director for Plans, as head of the fact-finding team.

Roxas, meanwhile, designated Chief Superintendent Jesus Gatchalian as officer-in-charge of the Calabarzon regional office while Cuy’s fact-finding team “tries to extract everything we can about the incident.”

Earlier, 13 members of the Regional Special Operations Group IV-A, who escorted Cadavero and Panogalinga to Dasmarinas City for inquest, were ordered relieved, including their immediate commander Superintendent Danilo Mendoza.

Roxas said he has coordinated with Dasmarinas City mayor Jenny Barzaga and Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga to secure the five other suspects identified with Cadavero , who are now detained at the provincial city jail.

He said he will seek the transfer of the five suspected crime gang members to the Philippine National Police's national headquarters in Camp Crame considering that the “two recaptured fugitives died in questionable circumstances.”

“Makakaasa ang publiko na mananagot ang dapat managot at wala kaming sasantuhin dito,” Roxas said.

Cadavero and Panogalinga were shot inside the police van after they allegedly grabbed the firearms of their escorts on their trip to Dasmarinas City.

The shooting happened at around 6:30 p.m. last Monday allegedly after motorcycle-riding gunmen strafed the police convoy carrying the two fugitives.

“Maraming katanungan na kailangang bigyang linaw ang kaduda-dudang pangyayari sa pagkamatay ng dalawa na nuong Lunes lamang ay andito napag-usapan natin kaharap si Chief PNP at iba pang opisyal dahil nahuli na nga sila at ite-turn over sa Bucor sa National Bilibid Prison,” Roxas said.

He said the initial reports he received from the internal Affairs service raised more questions than answers.

“Imbes na magbigay sila ng linaw sa mga pangyayaring ito ay maraming mga katanungang hindi pa nasasagot,” he said.

Pending the results of the investigations, Estipona will be confined to Camp Crame.

Roxas said that Estipona should have known all of the actions of the RSOG because its members were supposed to be directly reporting to him.

“Dapat alam niya kung ano ang nangyayari dito at bakit naganap ang mga nangyari noong Lunes,” Roxas said.

Meanwhile, he said that he has ordered Gatchalian to secure all documents and information related to the case.