Hole of Justice: The Kuratong Baleleng Last Part

Hole of Justice: The Kuratong Baleleng Last Part: Hole of Justice By Peter G. Jimenea The Kuratong Baleleng Gang (Last Part - The Expendable) In previous issue of TDG, a gu...

Hole of Justice: The Kuratong Baleleng Last Part

Hole of Justice: The Kuratong Baleleng Last Part: Hole of Justice By Peter G. Jimenea The Kuratong Baleleng Gang (Last Part - The Expendable) In previous issue of TDG, a gu...

The Kuratong Baleleng Last Part

Hole of Justice
By Peter G. Jimenea

The Kuratong Baleleng Gang

(Last Part - The Expendable)

In previous issue of TDG, a gun-battle between the carnap-gang and the HPG, ANCAR, SOU/TF Limbas took place on July 2, 1996. Five (5) Kuratong members were arrested. During the tactical interrogation, one of the five suspects, Allen Pellazar was identified as “Dominador Amparo,” an army enlisted personnel.

Amparo, a member of the Kuratong Baleleng Gang jumped bail in a Robbery with Murder case in 1991 in Cebu City. During arrest he attempted to grab the service firearm of one SPO3 Armando Ballon but the latter parry his hand and shoot him twice on the chest. Still, he was able to escape from the police.

At the investigation room SPO3 Ballon arrived and after the suspect was made to undress, the investigators discovered that he bore two gunshot wounds on the chest confirming his identity not as Allen Pellazar but Dominador Amparo. After a few minutes, he cooperated to reveal the following;

He’s a member of the “Kuratong Baleleng-SOLIDO Gang from Ozamis City. They are waiting only for the contact of their leader Joel Arnan a.k.a. “Jojo” before they assemble at their rendezvous at Sucat Road near NAIA. They are provided by the formerly arrested Army Captain and a certain “Nonoy,” of G3, PA, Fort Bonifacio, with M-16, M-14, 45 Cal. Pistols and M203 Grenade launchers.

After the heist they again converge in a designated area where the weapons are collected and brought back to the PA headquarters. He claimed that four (4) to six (6) carjacked vehicles were often used during their operations and the loots are distributed only after the “BIG BOSSES” determine their shares.

Fortunately, an aunt of Jojo’s wife, volunteered to provide The SOU/TF Limbas “extensive knowledge” about the group, that Joel Arnan a.k.a. “Jojo” was an enlisted ex-Army Scout Ranger personnel who is also an escapee. As “Agent Joy” further narrate, a powerful politician and a number of retired and active Military and Police Generals are “brains” behind the group.

The ultimate motive of the KB-SOLIDO Gang was to raise “campaign fund” for the 1998 elections. They are well organized for having members in other government agencies such as the PNP, AFP, LTO and DILG. Agent Joy told the SOU/TF Limbas that December 15 is the birthday of “Jojo,” the KB-SOLIDO Gang leader and she will be attending the party.

From that occasion Joy was able to concretize the information of the SOU/TF Limbas. At about 4:00 pm of October 31, 1996, a 30-minute bloody gun-battle ensued between the police and the gang at the façade of Lexus Disco Club. Four TMG personnel were wounded, two police patrol cars were totally wrecked by the M203 grenade launchers but two gang members were also killed.

A dragnet was then set for the arrest of “Jojo,” leader of the KB-SOLIDO gang. On February 1, 1997 at about 2:30 pm, SOU/TF Limbas raided the gang’s hideout at the Greatland Subdivision, San Pedro, Laguna. Two gang members were caught by surprised. Recovered were cache of ammos, high-powered firearms, carjacked vehicles, MV plates and a motorcycle. “Jojo” was not in the house.

On February 2, 1997, all possible exits from “Jojo’s hideout were blocked after it was learned that he was inside limping due to motorcycle accident. Later, a man on a motorcycle was seen leaving the house, when arrested he turned out to be the advance party of the gang leader. But “Jojo” is still inside the house.

At about 1:00 pm, a man was seen speeding away from the house. A brief chase ensued and Joel Arnan aka “Jojo” was arrested. A search warrant was then issued that led to the recovery of the following; M-14 rifles, Baby Armalite rifles with AFP markings, automatic Carbines, 45 and 380 pistols, Beretta Sub-machinegun, Micro UZI, boxes of ammos, car plates, diplomat plate no. 19518 and assorted jewelries taken from the famous MILADY heist.

Surprisingly, “Jojo” did not stay long in San Pedro, Laguna Municipal Jail. A noise barrage was created by the inmates to facilitate his escape. But by the time, he and his Army Captain cohort were already considered expendable. “Jojo” was reported killed by police intelligence operatives along NAIA Road in Pasay, Metro Manila. Expendable indeed!

The trump up case against PCI Rernato G. Laurinaria, Commander of the SOU/TF Limbas was eventually dismissed by the Court. Agent Joy, unable to be included in the witness protection of the government dropped out of sight for fear of her life. The “Army Captain,” met his untimely death by poisoning so as not to divulge the BIG BOSSES of the syndicate. Expendable too!

Hole of Justice: The Kuratong Baleleng Gang

Hole of Justice: The Kuratong Baleleng Gang: Hole of Justice By Peter G. Jimenea   The Kuratong Baleleng Gang   On December 1995 a highly syndicated violent carnap-ki...

The Kuratong Baleleng Gang

Hole of Justice

By Peter G. Jimenea

 

The Kuratong Baleleng Gang

 

On December 1995 a highly syndicated violent carnap-kidnap-bank robbery-group, the Kuratong Baleleng Gang - Solido Group, emerged to sow terror in Metro Manila. Its heavily armed members forcibly take the vehicles from their lawful owners for use to other crimes.

 

The gang figured prominently in series of bank robbery, armoured van robberies, pawn shop and jewelry shop robberies, famous of which was the Milady jewelry shop robbery. Noted was the gang’s ferocity to gun down security guards and bank personnel without hesitation.

 

Then Police Chief Inspector Renato G. Laurinaria, Commander of the Highway Patrol Group (HPG) SOU/TF Limbas, formed a team of ANCAR Operatives to track down this gang. An “Order of Battle” (OB) was likewise undertaken to assist local police where carjacking and armed robberies are frequent.

 

On February 2, 1996, a brief running gun-battle ensued at Banawe St., Quezon City between TF Limbas operatives and members of the carjack-group. But traffic congestion hampered the pursuing police enabling the suspects to escape leaving behind their getaway carjacked-vehicle.

 

The recovery of the wanted motor vehicle gave the HPG/TF Limbas operatives a glimpse of the personal belongings left behind by the notorious group like pay-parking tickets, gas receipts, expressway entrance and exit tickets and receipts for unnecessary expenses.

 

But the ambush-slaying of two anti-carjacking TMG-NCR operatives at Rodriguez St., Quezon City on February 5, 1996, caused an animosity between PCI Laurinaria and then TMG Director P/Supt. Romeo Maganto. Laurinaria was relieved. But on June 8, 1996, the new TMG Director reinstalled him.

 

It paved the way for the discovery of unusual operation of the Kuratong Baleleng-Solido Gang. Three (3) gasoline receipts stood out most as they pointed that the notorious group had been frequenting a gasoline station located right inside Fort Bonifacio.

 

This enabled PCI Laurinaria to conclude that members of this group could either be active and dismissed military and/or police personnel. The TF Limbas ANCAR operatives were soon directed to focus their monitoring efforts inside the Fort Bonifacio.

 

At an unholy hour of the morning of June 24, 1996, a Mitsubishi Lancer GXLi with plate number TKA-706 reported as carjacked was spotted inside the parking area of the General Headquarters of Philippine Army in Fort Bonifacio, Makati City.

 

On the very same day at about 6:00 pm, an Army Captain was about to drive off the wanted vehicle when arrested. His arrest bolstered the suspicion that the AFP and the PNP have connection with this Kuratong Baleleng Gang and thus known as the “Solido Group.”

 

Before the SOU/TF Limbas investigators could extract vital information from the arrested army captain, his “mistah’s” at the TMG (now HPG) intervened and took

custody of him. This denied ANCAR operatives their much needed information as to the existence of this notorious group.

 

On July 2, 1996, along Bangkal St., Makati City, at around 11:30 am, another brief gun-battle ensued between TF Limbas and the Kuratong Gang members. It ended with the capture of five gang members and recovery of two carjacked vehicles. A sketch map of the ASIAN bank in Buendia Ave. was also found.

 

At 4:00 pm of October 31, 1996, a bloody shoot-out between the group and the police took place at Timog Ave., Quezon City resulting to the total damage of two police vehicles by M203 grenade launchers fired by the gang. Four (4) TMGs have been wounded but two Kuratong members were killed and one captured.

 

Pressed as to who the ”BIG BOSSES” were,  the five arrested Kuratong Baleleng Gang members pointed to a Joel Arnan alyas ‘Jojo’ and the previously arrested Army Captain as the persons who could best identify the “BIG BOSSES” of the syndicate.

 

But the taking up of captured members alive, proved too costly for Laurinaria. As they were about to jump-off for the arrest of gang leader “Joel Arnan,” a “trump-up” case that has long been fabricated against him was immediately laid down for his arrest. Worse, the arresting team was led by that Police General now assigned at the DILG.

 

Surprisingly, when PCI Laurinaria was relieved, the captured Kuratong  member was remitted to another jail and was reported later to have escaped. The records of the arrested Army Captain also disappeared from the file and can no longer be found.

 

(Next: The battle continues)

Hole of Justice: A PNP Limited Edition

Hole of Justice: A PNP Limited Edition: Hole of Justice by Peter G. Jimenea   A Police Limited Edition   A friend, ret. P/Supt. Romeo Laurinaria, Chief of the High...

A PNP Limited Edition

Hole of Justice

by Peter G. Jimenea

 

A Police Limited Edition

 

A friend, ret. P/Supt. Romeo Laurinaria, Chief of the Highway Patrol Group, R6, come back to Iloilo City to give me the book authored by his younger brother P/Capt. Renato Laurinaria, one of the most bemedalled police officers of his time.

The young Laurinaria once headed the HPG’s Special Operations Unit, TF Limbas that has solved so many carjacking cases since 1990’s. But the loop-holes in our laws, softened further by inept or corrupt police investigators, prosecutors and/or judges, exonerate the criminals as fast as they are hard to catch.

Modus Operandi: Ativan Gang. During the 90’s, carjackers observed “no harm” to victims on a peaceful takeover of their vehicles. The unsuspecting driver is made to drink coffee, soft-drinks or water mixed with sleeping pills they called “Ativan tablet” to neutralize him, thus, the name.

The modus was initiated by renting vehicles to supposedly fetch their arriving relatives or OFW at the NAIA Terminal. While on waiting out there, the driver is offered food and drinks that will be his last recollection of what happened when he woke up after having been asleep for two or three days.

Target vehicles of the gang were locally assembled motor vehicles like jitneys, jeepneys and owner-type jeep. Once in the possession of the carjacked vehicle, their own accredited auto repair shop will do the re-assembling for a new legal chassis and engine block engraved with new motor number.

Necessary documentation would then be produced to make it appear that such repair shop was the one which assembled the vehicle. Through their cohorts at the MV spare parts dealers and the LTO (another labelled corrupt agency), the laundered vehicle would eventually be registered legally.

This modus to drug their victims by the Ativan Gang is also being used today by some taxi drivers to innocent passengers through the ventilation of the vehicle‘s aircon especially when the passengers are women taking the front seat. There had been lot of recorded complaints about this case.

Protection from corrupt police officials and influential people they may have gifted with accomplishment for neutralization of rivals or expendable members, have emboldened the suspects to do their mess. A classic example is the now household name Dominguez brothers Carnap Gang. (We will go to that later).

The Ativan Gang has come into notice by the HPG Special Operation Unit (SOU) TF Limbas with the reported growing incidents of carjacking cases throughout the country.  They were arrested by a team of intelligence officers posting as Van and jeepney drivers at NAIA Airport.

Strings of cases were filed against Ativan Gang members in Court. But a “snail pace” court litigation process redounds to the retirement of ANCAR operatives who served as government witnesses and of complainants losing interest in the case.

One thing is suspect though. No criminal syndicate can last long in the business without the participation of ranking men in uniform. In fact, the nine carjacked vehicles recovered by P/Supt. Laurenaria, impounded at Camp Delgado, have disappeared in just a month after his relief without report whatsoever.

Unless there is a rigid training for discipline coupled with genuine reform in the PNP, it will give us an impression without affirming the perception that what is somewhat missing in the empty life of those crooks in police uniform is to die with dignity.

Add to that the discourteous uniformed officers manning the PNP checkpoints. The PO1, PO2 and PO3 intoxicated by the police uniform they are so proud of, have GMRC of limited edition – no fake, no copy. With tolerant superior, we can be the last casualty of this new syndicate we have to deal with.

Next: The Kuratong Baleleng Group