Rob gang leader arrested

The leader of the "Tutok Kalawit" gang, responsible for a rash of robberies at the boundary of Manila and Quezon City in the past few months, was arrested last Wednesday while visiting his girlfriend near Camp Karingal.

Monrico Corpin, 36, a native of Biliran, Leyte and a resident of Barangay 432, Zone 44 in Sampaloc, Manila, did not resist arrest when cornered by elements of the Regional Intelligence and Special Operations Office (RISOO) at about 5:10 p.m. in Sikatuna Village, Quezon City.

RISOO chief Superintendent Sotero Ramos Jr. said Corpin was visiting his girlfriend in the area when his men pounced on him.

The RISOO raiders were armed with a warrant of arrest issued by Judge Guillermo Purganan, of Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 42.

The court earlier meted Corpin a jail term of four years and two months for a robbery case.

Ramos said the suspect eluded arrest at the height of an encounter with Mandaluyong City policemen manning a checkpoint last Feb. 4.

A companion of Corpin, Maximo Ogario, was killed while two others, Redentor Balco and Joery de la Cruz were arrested.

Mandaluyong police had recovered from the arrested suspects a black Honda Civic with three different license plates, two caliber .45 automatic pistols and a caliber 9mm pistol.

Superintendent Ericson Velasquez, Mandaluyong City police chief, filed robbery, car theft, assault upon an agent in authority, illegal possession of firearms and ammunition and grave threat charges against Corpin and his companions.

Ramos said the gang had been the subject of a series of complaints received by the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) since May last year.

One of the gang’s victims, businessman Manuel Wacan, was shot in the neck when he tried to come to the rescue of his wife, Racel, who lost her shoulder bag containing cash and valuables to the suspects last Jan. 11 in Barangay San Isidro Labrador.

Ramos said the gang had been using license plates UGK 314, UHN 268, UGY 606, UHI 268, and UEB 169 in their robbery operation. The Mandaluyong City police recovered all the car plates.

When presented yesterday before Metro police chief Director Vidal Querol, Corpin admitted being the leader of the robbery gang.

Querol warned Corpin that his gang would be dealt with accordingly once they returned to the streets.

"Magbabago na ako, sir," the suspect said.

The Metro police chief directed Ramos to commit Corpin to the New Bilibid Prisons in Muntinlupa City. — Non Alquitran