May 26, 2001, The Philippine Star, Hijack gang led by former cop busted, by Jerry Botial,

May 26, 2001, The Philippine Star, Hijack gang led by former cop busted, by Jerry Botial,

A joint National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and Malabon police team busted a notorious hijacking syndicate with the arrest of five alleged members led by a dismissed Manila policeman Wednesday in Malabon City.

Northern Police District Office (NPDO) director Senior Superintendent Vidal Querol identified the suspects as Cleofas Cayabo, 54, of 184 Oportunidad Street, Binondo, Manila and the alleged leader of the group; Adolfo Bernardo, 36, of Caliraya Street, Barangay Tatalon, Quezon City; Reynald Paduga, 33, of Padilla Compound, Lower Bicutan, Taguig; Joel Calvo, 37, of Goodwill Street, Sucat, Parañaque; and Pablo Cervantes, 48, of Blk. 40, Lot 23, Phase 3E2, Dagat-Dagatan, Malabon City.

The five were arrested in a raid conducted by the NBI and the local police at around 9:30 p.m. Wednesday after a brief chase along Dagat-Dagatan Avenue, Querol said.

The crack team led by Chief Inspectors Wilfredo Elli and Romeo Aspe recovered from Cayabo a .38 caliber revolver loaded with three live bullets.

Malabon police chief, Superintendent Ernesto Fojas, said Cayabo was a dismissed Manila policeman.

Fojas said the raid was conducted in coordination with NBI agents led by Napoleon Lazaro who reported the presence of the group at Maya-Maya Street in Barangay Longos, Malabon.

The suspects were reportedly behind a string of hijacking incidents in Metro Manila and the suburbs, the latest of which took place before midnight of May 22 along C-4 Road.

Police said that at gunpoint, the suspects took two trucks loaded with 650 sacks of rice worth P650,000. Truck driver Ronaldo Latina and Elezear Valeriano Jr., positively identified the suspects in a police lineup.

Fojas said charges are now being readied against the suspects.

In a related development, four holdup suspects preying on jeepney passengers who were spotted along McArthur Highway in Barangay Potrero, Malabon were also arrested by Malabon police yesterday morning.

PO2sAlexander Calabucal and Alexander delos Arcos identified the suspects as Benjie Proyalante, 21, of NHA Village, Caloocan City; Reynaldo dela Cruz, 26, of Camba Street, Tondo, Manila; Robert Rocillo, 46, of Sandico Street, Tondo, Manila; and Danilo Gomo, 21, of 24 Magsaysay Street, Malabon City.

Police reports said the suspects had just staged a robbery in a passenger jeep along McArthur Highway at around 4:30 a.m. when they pounced on them.

The suspects, according to authorities, had commandeered a tricycle and at knifepoint, asked to be brought to Del Monte Street where the police intercepted them.

The suspects gave up and yielded three fan knives, one dagger, and personal belongings of Joseph Dagondon of Karuhatan and Eduard Reyes of Sta. Cruz, Manila, and also three wallets, one cell phone one wristwatch and P50 in cash.

Carges of highway robbery will be slapped against the four suspects, the police said. – Pete Laude