CIDG going after gang of thrill killers

The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) was tasked yesterday of neutralizing a gang of thrill killers believed to be behind 22 homicide and robbery cases in Metro Manila and provinces in Central and Southern Luzon.

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Arturo Lomibao directed CIDG director Chief Superintendent Jesus Versoza to coordinate with other law enforcement agencies in the identification and arrest of the suspects, who have killed 21 people, including a policeman.

The PNP crime laboratory said one gang was responsible for the numerous crimes based on forensic evidence.

Director Marcelo Ele Jr., head of the PNP Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management, (DIDM) said Lomibao was surprised over the findings of the crime lab.

"It appeared that there was a pattern in the illegal activities of the suspects and Gen. Lomibao wanted the CIDG to coordinate closely with the crime lab for the possible identification and arrest of the suspects," Ele said.

Chief Superintendent Ernesto Belen said they cross-matched the slugs and empty shells recovered at the 22 crime scenes.

Among the sensational cases attributed to the gang was the massacre in Dongalo, Parañaque City; the killing of four people in Barangay del Remidio in San Pablo City, and the shooting of three people in Barangay San Francisco in Mabalacat, Pampanga.

Belen said the gang used two 9mm pistols and three caliber .38 revolvers in its first 11 attacks, which include the killing of PO2 Norman Magno in San Fernando, Pampanga last Dec. 14.

"We attributed eight other cases to the gang after we confirmed that the caliber .45 pistol used in the San Pablo massacre was the one they grabbed from PO2 Magno," Belen said.

Belen told The Star they would submit to the CIDG what they know about the gang, which operates in groups of four.

Ele said they are interviewing massacre survivors and witnesses to help police identify the gang members.