CAMP BGEN OSCAR M FLORENDO, La Union –The alleged co-founder and two members of the dreaded crime syndicate known as the Parojinog/Kuratong Baleleng Group were arrested by operatives of the Ilocos Police Regional Office intelligence network here last Monday afternoon during a checkpoint operation along the Diversion Road in the village of Bangcusay, City of San Fernando.
Police Chief Superintendent Romulo E. Sapitula, Regional Director of PRO1, identified the suspects as Manuelito Estomata Francisco, 57, jobless, leader of the notorius gang ; Rizalina Ozamiz Francisco, 54, wife of Manuelito and incumbent City Councilor of Ozamiz City, Misamis Occidental, and their son June Ozamiz Francisco, alias “Omboy”, 31, and a resigned barangay chair of San Roque, Ozamiz City.
Sapitula disclosed that the three gang members were arrested after the police flagged down and boarded a Toyota Innova with conduction sticker VD4899 that the wanted persons were riding on their way to Manila from one of the Ilocos provinces.
The intelligence-driven checkpoint was manned by the combined operatives of the City of San Fernando Police, San Juan Police, Regional Mobile Force Battalion 1 (RMFB1), Regional Intelligence Division of Police Regional Office 1 (RID-PRO1), Misamis Occidental Police Provincial Office, Regional Intelligence Unit 1, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-La Union and La Union Police Intelligence Branch.
The Francisco family’s arrest was aided with a Warrant of Arrest issued by Judge Edmundo P. Pintac of Regional Trial Court 10th Judicial Region, Branch 15, Ozamiz City dated February 6, 2018, for the crime of violation of Republic Act 9516, under Criminal Case Number RTC-8516 with no recommended bail bond.
“Based on our operatives’ investigation report, Manuelito is allegedly the co-founder of the Parojinog/Kuratong Baleleng Group, a group believed to be involved in illegal activities such as robbery, extortion, illegal drugs and among others.
The Francisco family left their home and has been on the run after the killing of Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog and his wife during a drug raid at the house of the Projinogs on July 2017. Last year, the Ozamiz city mayor was among the list of officials publicly named by President Duterte of being linked to the illegal drugs trade.
“They were arrested while traveling to Manila from one the Ilocos provinces in the north,” PCSupt. Sapitula added.
Sapitula commended the operatives for the notable accomplishment and encouraged them to be more vigilant and proactive in their intelligence gathering on criminals who might be hiding in the Ilocos region. “Let us enhance our intelligence sharing as it provides a starting point for our criminal investigations and subsequent prosecutions,” he said.
The suspects were brought to the City of San Fernando Police Station for temporary detention prior to their turn-over to the Regional Trial Court in Ozamiz City that issued the warrant for their arrest. PIO/PNP Regional Office 1 -northboundasia.com