LINGAYEN, Pangasinan --The Police Regional Office 1 (PRO1) vows to tighten security on the turnover of the arrested co-founder and two members of Parojinog/ Kuratong Baleleng Group to the Misamis Occidental Police Provincial Office (MisOccPPO).
In an interview on Wednesday, Chief Supt. Romulo Sapitula, PRO1 regional director, identified the high-value suspects as gang co-founder Manuelito Estomata Francisco, 57; his wife Rizalina, 54, a councilor of Ozamiz City, Misamis Occidental; and their son, June Ozamiz Francisco alyas “Omboy,” 31, a resigned barangay chairman of San Roque, Ozamiz City.
“Although they are suspects, we will ensure their safety and security”, Sapitula said as he declined to divulge the information on the exact date and time of the turn-over to the Misamis Occidental PPO.
The suspects were presented to the media in Pangasinan on Wednesday ‘to let the public know that they are alive, well and secured’ said the Supt. John Guiagui, San Fernando City, La Union police chief.
Guiagui stressed, “We want them alive to extract more information from them”.
Sapitula said the three suspects were arrested after intelligence operatives flagged down a Toyota Innova, with conduction sticker VD4899 during a checkpoint in San Fernando City Monday. The checkpoint was then 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 PPO, Regional Intelligence Unit 1(RIU1), Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-La Union (CIDGLU), and La Union Police Intelligence Branch (LUPIB)”,
Sapitula said that PRO1 Intelligence Group continues to conduct further investigation as to the reason behind the suspects’ presence in the Ilocos region.
He said the Francisco family had been arrested by virtue of the Warrant of Arrest issued by Honorable Judge Edmundo P. Pintac of Regional Trial Court 10th Judicial Region, Branch 15, Ozamiz City dated Feb 6, 2018 for the crime of violation of Republic Act 9516 (illegal possession of firearms and explosives) , under Criminal Case Number RTC-8516 with no recommended bail bond.
He confirmed that there were no illegal drugs and firearms under the suspects' custody upon the arrest.
He added the family has been travelling from Manila to Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur based from the monitoring of PRO1 Intelligence Group.
“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, and illegal drugs, among others," he said, adding that the family left their home after the death of Ozamiz City Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog during a police raid on his residence in July last year.
President Rodrigo Duterte himself linked the Parojinogs to the illegal drug trade. (PNA)
