Caloocan, Malabon rob gang leader arrested

MANILA, Philippines - Operatives of the Northern Police District arrested Saturday the suspected leader of a dreaded robbery group after his alleged new recruit led the cops to his lair in Caloocan City.

NPD director Chief Superintendent Samuel Pagdilao Jr. identified the suspect as Crisanto Haya, 28, a resident of Barangay Longos, Malabon City, tagged as the leader of a four-man rob gang operating at the tri-boundary of Caloocan, Malabon and Navotas.

Haya’s arrest came when Jefferson Silvestre, 24, reportedly a new member of his group, was arrested on April 12 during the gang’s bungled rob try of Andrea Manuel in Barangay Longos.

Silvestre was arrested and charged with robbery and illegal possession of a knife before the Malabon City prosecutor’s office. He bailed out of jail.

“It was Silvestre who led us to Haya, their alleged leader, who is also involved in illegal trade of marijuana victimizing mostly high school students,” Chief Inspector Jay Agcaoili, NPD anti-illegal drugs division chief, told The STAR yesterday.

A six-man team led by SPO1 Jonathan Taguba conducted a drug-bust against Haya at around 9:45 a.m. in one of his hangouts in front of a public high school in Caloocan City resulting in his arrest. Haya yielded 10 sachets of suspected marijuana. Taguba said that Haya’s features “fit” to one of the suspects in the robbery of Efren Ramillo, 24, on April 14 on Langaray public market at the boundary of Malabon and Caloocan. The suspect pistol-whipped Ramillo and took his Kawasaki motorcycle (PT 3615).

“Haya was positively identified by Ramillo and another victim Jovie Reyes, who was also robbed in Barangay Longos on the eve of April 15,” Taguba said. He said that Haya’s group is also the prime suspect in the robbery of John Andrei Bobiles on April 16 at the corner of Langaray and Pampano streets in Barangay Longos.

When asked of the accusations, Haya denied involvement in any crime. “I’m just an ordinary construction worker,” he said. Police are now hunting down the group’s other two members identified only as alias Taruc and one Beging.