Mar orders probe on deaths 2 Ozamis gang members

MANILA, Philippines - Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas on Tuesday ordered an investigation into the deaths of two convicted bank robbers in Laguna while being escorted by police to the Cavite Provincial Prosecutors Office for inquest.

Roxas said he already directed the National Police Commission and Philippine National Police to probe the deaths of Ricky Cadavero and Wilfredo Panogalinga, members of the Ozamis robbery group.

"Inatasan ko na ang Napolcom at PNP na magsagawa ng masusing imbestigasyon tungkol sa insidente at bigyan ako kaagad ng report sa lalong madaling panahon upang papanagutin natin ang sinumang may kasalanan dito," Roxas said.

Initial reports submitted by the Cavite police showed that the two men were brought by their police escorts to the Cavite Provincial Prosecutor's Office for the inquest proceedings on the charges of illegal possession of firearms and explosives filed against them.

While being escorted back to the Laguna Provincial Police Office in Calamba City, suspected members of the Ozamis gang ambushed the police vehicle in Barangay San Antonio in San Pedro town, in an apparent attempt to rescue Cadavero and Panogalinga.

Police said that the two inmates tried to grab their police escorts' firearms during the attempted rescue.

"Protecting themselves, the other police escorts inside same vehicle shot Kambal and Kulot," the Cavite police's report said.

The two suspects died while being treated in a hospital.

Cadavero and Panogalinga were among the four recaptured convicts earlier presented to Roxas and PNP chief Alan Purisima at the PNP headquarters on Monday.

The two others suspects were Chinese drug traffickers Li Lan Ya and Wa Ling Na.

Roxas had earlier ordered the PNP and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology to look into the “miraculous” escape of some high-profile criminals, including Cadavero, from state prisons.

The PNP recaptured Cadavero in Dasmarinas City, Cavite, last Friday, seven months after he bolted the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City.