Caloocan's most wanted falls

MANILA, Philippines - Police arrested the most wanted person of Caloocan City, tagged as the leader of a dreaded robbery gang preying on commuters, during an operation Saturday at the suspect’s lair in Dagat-Dagatan.

Reggie de Guzman, 22, a resident of Barangay 12, Zone I, Dagat-Dagatan, Caloocan City, who has a standing warrant of arrest for murder, was apprehended at around 3 p.m.

“The suspect is a notorious gangster and is being sought by our operatives for a string of cases including murder,” Superintendent Florendo Quibuyen, Caloocan City police acting chief, told The STAR. 

A team, led by Chief Inspector Reydante Ariza, of the Caloocan City police Station Intelligence Branch, and Police Community Precinct-8 commander Inspector Ernesto Palting, arrested De Guzman at his hiding place on Block 39, Sabalo street in Dagat-Dagatan.

Quibuyen said De Guzman tried to resist arrest but was quickly overpowered by the police officers, which were also armed with a warrant of arrest issued by Caloocan City Judge Thelma Canlas Trinidad-Pe Aguirre.

Police said that De Guzman is the alleged leader of a robbery gang victimizing tricycle and jeepney passengers along Dagat-Dagatan Avenue in Caloocan City and of commuters on Letre and C-4 Roads in Malabon City. The group is armed with handguns and bladed weapons and often “hurt or kill” the resisting victims, police said. De Guzman was detained at the Caloocan City police station Warrant Section detention cell pending his transfer to the Caloocan City Jail.