Three PMG men restricted for raid

The three troopers of the 614th Provincial Mobile Group who allegedly conducted an "unauthorized raid" on a suspected "gambling den" on April 20, without informing their commanding officer, were restricted to their headquarters in Cauayan, Negros Occidental.

Senior Supt. Rosendo Franco, provincial police director, yesterday said he has already tasked Inspector Perfecto Goc-ong , chief of the NOPPO Investigation Branch, to conduct a pre-charged investigation against SPO1 Leonardo Llanero, PO2 Jonathan Baldevieso and PO3 Celsolito Belos, all members of the 614th PMG under the command of Supt. Jerry Bartolome.

Bartolome said he was not informed by the concerned police troopers about the alleged raid or their efforts to stop the gambling den operations in Brgy. Guilhungan, Cauayan, which was celebrating its fiesta on April 20.

The three police officers who are now in hot water, are members of the alert team dispatched to secure the fiesta in the barangay, police investigations also showed. They insisted that they only stopped the gambling den, locally known as "hantakan".

Franco ordered Bartolome to investigate the actuations of the three police troopers and immediately submit a special report to him.

Bartolome said he has reprimanded the three police troopers for their act, and a copy of the reprimand order was furnished to the Finance Section of the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office, pending investigation of the complaints.

The reprimand order will mean forfeiture of the mid-year bonus and other benefits this year, supposed to be received by the three police troopers, he added.*GPB

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3 rob suspects nabbed

Three more suspected robbers were arrested by officers of the Task Force Barracuda in two operations on Thursday as Bacolod City Police Office director Senior Supt. Ronilo Quebrar vowed to solve the increasing hold-up cases in the city.

Bonnie Valientes alias "Barbak", 23, and Alonto Ragomeo alias "Ompoy", 29, both of Purok Narra Baybay, Brgy. 8, Bacolod City, were nabbed by Task Force Barraucda operatives in a stakeout operation in Brgy. Sum-ag at about 1 p.m. Thursday, Quebrar said.

He said that Valientes and Ragomeo, who usually stay in Brgy. Sum-ag to "cool off" from police surveillance after staging their heists, have been involved in the series of hold up cases in the city's reclamation area and in their own purok.

When they were presented to the media at the BCPO yesterday, Valientes admitted to the heists but said he did not know why he did them. Ragomeo, who has slash marks on his arms and on his stomach, said he works with whoever wants to make money.

Quebrar added that the two suspects identified some of their companions who are also in the PNP watch list and they will be going after them in their stepped up operations. Earlier, Paquito Ruiz, 29, of Brgy. Singcang, Bacolod City was also apprehended by members of the Task Force Barracuda after a brief chase while he was doing another heist in Purok Calong-Calong in the same barangay.

Ruiz', whose arms were reportedly bitten by ants when he hid in an infested area to evade the police, was also allegedly involved in car napping incidents in the city.

Quebrar said that robbery-hold up cases in the city will reduce with the three suspects' arrest, adding that their companions will most likely "lie low" for a while.

Ruiz is detained at the Police Station 8 while Valientes and Ragomeo are locked up at the Police Station 9, Quebrar said.*PP

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