Gang leader nabbed

SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union, Philippines – A suspected leader of a criminal group engaged in contract killings was arrested in a police operation here yesterday.

Lorenzo Mendoza was collared at his residence in Barangay Camansi based on a warrant issued by Judge Asuncion Mandia for double murder, according to city police chief Superintendent Julius Suriben.

Mendoza has been tagged in the killing of security guard Dominique Pineda in February and a certain Eric Dioniso in December last year.

Suriben said Mendoza ranked No. 1 on the city’s list of most wanted men and was a leader of the Mendoza gun-for-hire and robbery group operating in La Union and Pangasinan.

Aside from Mendoza, the city police arrested six suspected drug traffickers in five days of successive operations.

Suriben identified the suspects as Jayvee del Rosario, John Leo Ordinario, Marden Ancheta, Jovito Tadifa, Mark Christopher Park and Joseph Flores.