‘Ativan’ man in custody

At least two members of the Ativan Gang have been positively identified by witnesses in Makati City.

One of the suspects, Gerardo Lazaro, is already in the hands of the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group and was presented to the media the other day.

Lazaro was identified by two guest relations officers of the Paradise Videoke Bar in Taytay, Rizal where slain Korean diplomat Chung Young Ho was last seen alive. Police sources also revealed that the diplomat’s friend Yan Young Chun, who was with the victim on the night he disappeared, also identified Lazaro as one of the suspects.

Another suspect, a certain Rodrigo Fabricante, was also identified by the two GROs.

SPO4 Dioscoro Asinas, who is investigating the case of a French victim, said that the Frenchman identified Fabricante as the man who doped him two weeks ago.

During the media presentation the other day, the CIDG only identified Lazaro and Lourdes Crudo, although they reported having in custody three suspects.

Crudo and Lazaro surrendered to the CIDG reportedly to clear their names after seeing their pictures published in the newspapers as the suspects in the death of the Korean diplomat.

Both suspects allegedly admitted that they used to drug and rob foreigners but denied any involvement in the death of the Korean.

Fabricante as well as the other suspected Ativan Gang members are still at large and are being hunted by the PNP.

According to Asinas, the Makati police has not yet filed any case against the suspects because they still do not have their addresses which were not revealed by the CIDG.

Tourism authorities were alarmed by the recent incidents involving foreigners in Makati City particularly after reports spread over the Internet that tourists were being warned against visiting certain areas in the country. – Marvin Sy