Slain Armed Robbers Remain Unidentified

NAGA CITY (13 Aug) -- THREE SLAIN gangs member who were killed during a shootout last Tuesday in barangay Tagongtong, Goa, Camarines Sur with police agents of a "tracker-team" from the Regional Intelligence Unit and members of the Goa municipal police station have remained unidentified.

Sources at the Goa police station bared that the remains of the suspects lie at the Marymar Funeral Homes in Goa and that no next of kin had come forward to identify or claim the bodies.

Goa's Police Sr. Inspector Rodel L. Pescuela said the remains will be buried soon if no family members will claim the bodies of the suspects.

Camarines Sur Police Director Sr. Supt. Jonathan Ablang said the three suspects are spotters for a transient robbery-holdup gang, victimizing firm collectors involved in consignments of their products and who collect payments from local business establishments.

Police report on Tuesday's shootout with the gang members yielded an Armscor Cal. 38 revolver; a Smith and Wesson Cal 38 revolver with defaced serial number; and another Colt Cal. 38, all fully loaded with ammunition.

It was also noted that suspects were wearing double clothing; SOCO examination of the remains found no pertinent IDs from the suspect's personal belongings.

Meanwhile, arrested robbery-holdup gang leader, 21 year-old Ernesto Lascao Calleja, who was nabbed by another unit of the Camarines Sur Provincial Police Office  Intelligence Unit "tracker-team" and units of the Laguna PPO at a safehouse at barangay Linkawa, Biñan, Laguna, last Tuesday evening has been temporarily detained with the Bato Municipal Police Station.

Calleja, who heads a 7-man robbery-holdup gang operating in the 5^th district of Camarines Sur and in Albay, and with a P75,000 bounty on his head, was brought back to the Rinconada district to face charges of a series of armed robbery cases and attempted murder.

The series of operations against organized crime groups has been ordered by the Bicol PNP Director to neutralize active robbery-hold-up gangs operating in the Partido and Rinconda districts as well as the railroad towns of Camarines Sur province in recent months. (SONNY SALES)