Cops rule out rubout in slay of 12 kidnap gang suspects

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan — Provincial police director Senior Superintendent Rodolfo Mendoza ruled out yesterday a possible rubout in the killing of 12 suspected members of a notorious kidnap-for-ransom gang in Alcala town last Friday.

Mendoza said all rules of engagement were followed after a van carrying members of the Bagis Gang was flagged down by police manning a checkpoint in Barangay Laoac.

"Unfortunately, this happens all the time. Whenever our officers execute a plan well, people always conclude that it was a rubout," he lamented.

Police had set up patrols and checkpoints in Alcala after receiving information that the Bagis Gang, also known as the Bonnet Gang, was targeting the vice mayor of the town.

Members of the gang, which included former Marines and guerrillas of the communist Cordillera People’s Liberation Army (CPLA), opened fire after being flagged down, but died in a volley of return fire from elements of the regional mobile and intelligence groups.

Among those killed were former Marine Sgt. Rolando Franco, who is believed to be the leader of the group, former Marine Sgt. Randy Raquino, Randy Franco, Silverio Gorio, Jun Mendez, Dante Ngawit.

Jolito Ponguis, Laurence Salangao, Gary Santos, Bong Villapando and Juanito Villar.

The identity of one other suspect has yet to be established. No police officer was hurt during the shootout.

Mendoza said they had been monitoring the movement of the gang following a tip from an informant .

He said police could have arrested the gang members in Tarlac earlier, but decided not to pursue the plan since there were innocent civilians, including children in the suspects’ safehouse.

"It could have turned into a hostage situation," Mendoza said. "We can live with criticism, but not with our conscience if innocent people were hurt."

However, relatives of the suspects insisted that Friday’s incident was a rubout.

"Foul play. That’s what really happened. There was no shootout," said one relative, who declined not to be identified.

Other relatives, who identified the bodies at the Bayambang District Hospital, said they fear possible reprisal if they say anything negative about the police.

The Bagis Gang is based in Baguio City but operates in the provinces of La Union, Pangasinan and Tarlac. members were involved in the kidnapping of Filipino-Chinese trader Charlie Ngo of Dagupan City last year and the failed kidnapping of another trader, Paul Co, also in Dagupan City.

The gang is also responsible for a series of armed robberies in the Ilocos Region, the Cordilleras, Central Luzon and the Cordillera Autonomous Region.