NEUTRALIZED. Bulacan Scene of the Crime Operation personnel examine the site where an alleged gun-for-hire group leader and member were neutralized in an armed encounter with cops in Barangay Bagong Barrio Pandi, Bulacan on Wednesday night (Nov. 4, 2020). Recovered from the area were two firearms, ammunition and the marked money used in the gun buy bust. (Photo courtesy of Pandi PNP)
CITY OF MALOLOS, Bulacan – An alleged gun-for-hire group leader and member were killed in an armed encounter with the Bulacan police in Barangay Bagong Barrio, Pandi town on Wednesday night.
Col. Lawrence Cajipe, Bulacan police provincial director, on Thursday identified the suspects as Wilfredo Togonon alias "Willy", the alleged gun-for-hire group leader, and Michael Pegaro alias "Bungo", who was reportedly involved in robbery hold-up and gun-for-hire activities.
He said operatives of the Bulacan Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Bulacan Provincial Field Unit (PFU) as lead unit, Provincial Intelligence Unit (PIU) and Pandi Municipal Police Station jointly conducted a gun buy-bust that resulted in the neutralization of the suspects.
Cajipe said during the transaction, the suspects sensed that they were dealing with police operatives, who acted as poseur buyers of guns.
“They immediately ran inside their house and fired their guns towards the police operatives. An exchange of gun fight ensued that led to the neutralization of the two armed suspects,” he said in an interview.
Recovered from the crime scene were a .45-caliber Colt pistol loaded with improvised magazine, a .38-caliber Armscor revolver with five live ammunition, fired cartridge cases of 9mm and .38-caliber, four deformed fired bullets and the PHP1,500 marked money used in the buy bust.
The recovered pieces of evidence are now with the Bulacan Crime Laboratory Office. (PNA)
