NBI has proof it wasn't just R&R: Flores gang had targets in Cebu

CEBU, Philippines - The presence of the Alvin Flores Group in Cebu wasn’t for rest and recreation as earlier believed.

This was recently confirmed by the National Bureau of Investigation weeks after its agents killed Alvin Flores, the group’s leader, his lieutenant and two others.

Flores was killed by agents, who stormed a rented rest house in the town of Compostela. Also killed were three of his men while another member of the group was captured.

Based on the evidence obtained by the NBI Central Visayas, the group could have pulled off a big time robbery in Cebu like what they did in the past including the most recent Rolex Store robbery in Greenbelt 5 in Makati City.

Luckily the presence of the group in Cebu was tracked preventing them from doing their plot.

The NBI was able to retrieve from the cellular phone of Ritchie Hijapon the list of the establishments that are believed to be their targets.

Hijapon, the right hand man of Flores, was killed during the raid conducted by the NBI last October 29.

Also killed during the gun battle were gang members Marc Alejandro Bondoc Salamanca and Roger Sanchez.

Rene Santillan Batiencela, who tried to flee by swimming off to sea, was arrested.

The Freeman is withholding the names of the establishments for security reasons, but most of these are located in the north.

None of these establishments however is mall-based contrary to earlier information that the gang was spotted in one of the Cebu City malls prior to the gun battle.

Four of the group’s possible targets are located in Mandaue City, three are in Tayud, Consolacion and one in Banawa, Cebu City.

NBI regional director Medardo de Lemos has already met with the managers of these establishments last Monday.

The managers were reportedly told by de Lemos that there establishments were found to be in the list of possible targets of the Flores Gang.

The NBI reportedly advised the managers to review their company’s security measures and to improve their linkages with the local police and the barangay officials.   

Warrant of Arrest

Meanwhile, a school principal from Olanggo, Island in Lapu-Lapu City yesterday went to the NBI office to seek the assistance of the bureau to serve the warrant of arrest against Batiencela.

Raul Giducos, 49, brought with him an alias warrant of arrest issued by then Regional Trial Court Judge Ildefonso G. Mantilla in Bogo, Cebu last April 13, 1998 against Rene Hijapon for robbery with homicide.

Giducos claimed that Rene Hijapon is the same person as Rene Batiencela who was arrested by the NBI after the encounter.

Giducos said he could not be wrong because Batiencela was his neighbor in barangay Kinatarcan, Santa Fe.

According to him, he recognized Batiencela to be the same Rene Hijapon who robbed and killed his father on October 1, 1996 when he saw him on television during his presentation to the media.

Giducos said Hijapon possibly changed his family name to Batiencela because he was aware that he has a pending warrant in Cebu.

He added that there were other robbery incidents in Bantayan Island where Hijapon is also suspected of having a hand in.

Aside from Hijapon the other accused in the 1996 robbery and killing of Giducos’ father are Teddy Pariol and Jeral Toyoto, who are also believed to be part of the Flores Robbery Gang.

Batiencela was already turned over by the NBI to Judge Alma Crispina Lacorte of Branch 51, Metropolitan Trial Court in Caloocan City who issued the warrant of arrest against him for illegal possession of firearms.

Giducos is worried that Batiencela might be able to post bail on the illegal position case in Caloocan City and could not be served with the alias warrant against him in Cebu.

No Lapses

The chief of police of Compostela town has been cleared of allegations that he committed lapses during and after the NBI raid of the hideout of the Flores Group. 

Chief Supt. Lani-o Nerez, director of Police Regional Office-7, yesterday said Sr. Insp. Milo Dagasdas will not anymore be investigated.

Nerez said that Dagasdas had informed him even before NBI operated.

“Sige man siya inform nako bisan pa naa pa sila sa area hangtud nga nahurot iyang battery sa cellphone. Iya sab jud gi-update even pagbiya na sa NBI sa area,” Nerez said.

The regional police chief said that he did not find any lapses on the part of Dagasdas during the incident.—with Gabriel Bonjoc/NLQ  (THE FREEMAN)