Gun-for-hire group busted

CAMP VICENTE LIM, Laguna ,Philippines  – Police arrested a leader of a gun-for-hire group and his brother who were tagged as key suspects in the robbery-slay of a trader and a fish cage operator last year during a raid in Batangas, authorities said yesterday.

Senior Superintendent Edwin Jose Garcia Nemenzo, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) 4A director, identified the arrested suspects as Renato Obligar, 57, leader of the notorious “Obligar Brotherhood Gang” and his brother Hernan alias “Naning,” 54, both natives of San Nicolas, Batangas. 

Another brother identified as Roland alias “Bato” managed to elude arrest and is now the subject of a massive manhunt operation.

Nemenzo said his men are now coordinating with various intelligence units to verify if the Obligar brothers were among the members of a breakaway liquidation squad of the communist rebels operating in Southern Tagalog who turned gun-for-hire.

He said the police were armed with two arrest warrants separately issued by Judge Antoniettta Pablo-Medina of the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court Branch 276, and Judge Cynthia Ricablanca of the Santa Cruz, Laguna Regional Trial Court Branch 27, when they apprehended the suspects in San Nicolas, Batangas at around 6 p.m. last Tuesday.

No bail was recommended for the two suspects.

According to Chief Inspector Virgilio Rubio, Batangas-CIDG 4A field officer, the gang has been tagged in several killings, robbery-ambush, and the liquidation of a police officer.