A suspected "bodol-bodol" gang member who was arrested after he almost victimized an 80-year-old woman and tried to bribe a policeman in Silay City, Negros Occidental was freed from jail yesterday after he posted bail of P12,000 for violation of Article 212 of the Revised Penal Code, or corruption of public officials.

Supt. Celestino Guara, Silay police chief, said the release order for alleged bodol-bodol gang member Aldrin Gonzaga was signed by Judge Antonio Jayobo of the Municipal Trial Court in Cities of Silay.

Guara said Gonzaga, who has multiple addresses such as Compostela, Cebu, Dipolog and Zamboanga City, was detained for almost one week at the Silay jail, before his release.

Gonzaga had earlier identified his employer as Lando Lopez, who is believed to be a mastermind of the bodol-bodol operations in Negros Occidental.

The bodol-bodol gang members usually victimize old women, police said.

Gonzaga was also caught in the act of offering a bribe of P20,000 to SPO4 Leo Canag, chief of the Silay Police theft and robbery section, during a follow-up operation in Victorias City.

The bribery incident was witnessed and footage of it was taken by ABS-CBN cameramen.

Police reports show that Gonzaga had been arrested at the BPI bank branch in Silay City where he had accompanied Rosario Locsin, 80, and an aunt of Councilor Jose "Pop-eye" Locsin, who was about to withdraw money from her account.*GPB

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