Muntinlupa cops crack ‘Itlog Gang’ by chance

From inquirer.net:

MANILA, Philippines–Routine police procedure turned out to be a deadly encounter that left one person dead in Barangay (village) Alabang, Muntinlupa City.

Police were out to serve a warrant of arrest on Thursday against Mark Gil Maranan, a suspected traffic law offender, when Maranan’s companion at the Balbanero Compound where they lived, Alvin Bacol, began shooting at the law enforcers as they approached the area.

Senior Supt. Allan Nobleza, the city’s chief of police, said the arresting officers fired back at Bacol, who died on the spot.

Maranan then lobbed a grenade at the police upon seeing his companion fall.

Another man, Jamal Maruhon, armed with an improvised shotgun, rushed to Maranan’s defense. Both were, however, cornered by the police.

Their companion, Abdul Lantod, was also arrested after ammunition and three sachets of suspected methamphetamine hydrochloride were found on him by the police.

Maranan, a motorcycle mechanic, was about to be arrested for a series of traffic violations, police said.

Upon checking, however, they found out that Bacol, Maranan, Maruhon and Lantod were members of the Alvin Bacol Itlog Gang.

The group is allegedly involved in gun-for-hire, car theft and drug-pushing activities in the city, based on intelligence reports.

“In fact, (Bacol) was arrested in 2006 and charged with drug-pushing but he managed to get out of jail,” Nobleza said.

He added that he was not aware if this was because the suspected leader of the group had managed to post bail or if his case had already been dismissed.

Nobleza said the group was also believed to be involved in the shooting of Antonio Domingo and Celso Molabola on July 31 and Aug. 10, respectively, also at Balbanero Compound.

Maranan, Maruhon and Lantod are now detained at the Muntinlupa police headquarters.

Charges of illegal possession of firearms, ammunition and drugs, among others, will be filed against them.

Apart from drugs, weapons and ammunition, police also seized a Mitsubishi Gallant and six motorcycles without plate numbers believed to have been used by the group for their illegal activities.–Kristine Felisse Mangunay

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