Home News Cagayan Valley Cagayan Notorious ‘motornappers’ killed in encounter with Cagayan cops identified

Notorious ‘motornappers’ killed in encounter with Cagayan cops identified

TUGUEGARAO CITY, Philippines- Police have identified the two suspected members of a notorious robbery group killed in an encounter with Solana police on Wednesday night, October 11.

Police said the killed suspects were Erick Wagsingan and Jonathan Ubido who were both from Pinukpuk, Kalinga.

They were among five armed men who were fleeing to Kalinga following two incidents of motorcycle theft that night. Police were able to corner the group after intensifying the checkpoints.

Police Regional Office 02 (PRO2) Director Police Chief Superintendent Robert Quenery said, “Itong success ng Solana police is a breakthrough in trying to identify the other members of the group and [that] makukuha natin silang lahat.”

Quenery told the media that this is among PRO2’s first successful operations since President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency to take over operations on the campaign against illegal drugs.

He said that Cagayan and Isabela police are conducting case conferences with Kalinga police to identify the name of the notorious robbery group.

The regional police director said the reported Kalinga-based group usually breaks down motorcycle unit piece-by-piece into motor parts which are later sold.

Meanwhile, Cagayan Provincial Police Office Director Police Senior Superintendent Warren Gaspar Tolito said most vehicle theft incidents occur at night, when suspects are not easily identified.

Tolito said such crimes may also occur in the morning, such as the incident in Piat where unidentified individuals took around P60,000 from a store.

He said that most incidents of vehicle theft and robbery in the area are initiated by one group. “Sila rin na grupo. In fact, last time [ay]  siyam sila [na nambiktima] sa Enrile. We were able to recover one out of four [motorcycles] na nanakaw,” said Tolito.

Solana Police Chief Police Senior Inspector Renz Marion Baloran said previous victims of vehicle theft were invited to the police station and confirmed that they were victimized by the same robbery group.

Intensified monitoring

With PNP’s new mandate to focus on shootings and robbery, Quenery said they will bring back managing police operations and intensify monitoring through checkpoints in towns and city under Oplan Sita and Oplan Bakal.

Quenery said they are also strengthening the Kalinga-Isabela-Cagayan or KAISACA tri-boundary checkpoint.

He also said that they are enhancing the Vehicle Identification System or VISA program. The regional director said police can easily identify registered vehicles and their legitimate owners. This can also motorcycles without plate numbers, which he said were the usual vehicles of suspects riding in tandem.

Meanwhile, Tolito said they are monitoring an area of interest in Solana where there is a “convergence” of people coming from various areas such as Kalinga. It is also possible that some members of the group may also come from Cagayan and Isabela.

He also said members of the robbery group may also be related with other gun for hire groups. “Yung mga ganitong grupo naman [ay] magkakakilala ang mga [iyan] eh, those in the [criminal] underworld. Tinututukan din natin iyan,” he said.

Because of the reported incidents of motor-theft, the police urged the public to register their vehicles. “If we are law abiding citizens, there is nothing for us to fear na magparegister ng sasakyan dahil wala namang intensyon na gamitin ito sa illegal na gawain,” Tolito said.

Meanwhile, Solana Police Chief Baloran said they are conducting checkpoint every day, even during night time to ensure the safety of locals.

The Local Government of Solana through Mayor Jennylyn Carag and Director Quenery will award P30,000 to P20,000 respectively to Solana Police Station. Quenery said this will add more funds for Solana Police Station’s intelligence programs.

Furthermore, Tolito said Solana LGU has donated 200-square-meter lots in located Centro Solana, Andarayan, and Calillauan. These will later be turned into COMPAC units dedicated for citizen’s peace and order.

Denied allegations

In the “bloody” encounter, police arrested a certain Richard Culang, a resident of Pinukpuk. Speaking with the media, he denied allegations that he was a member of the motor-theft and robbery group in Kalinga.

“Talagang hindi ko po sila kasamahan… Kung may dumating dito ako agad ang itinuturo… Talagang hindi ko po sila kilala,” he said, referring to the killed suspects and two others who were able to escape.

Culang told the media that he came from Barangay Pengue, Tuguegarao City and was on his way back home to Kalinga when he was followed by the motorcycle-riding suspects pursued by police.

He claimed he had a nine-year old child and four-year old girl.

“Yung katotohanan lang po sana ang mananaig,” he said. Northernforum.net

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