Cops claim: Eight ‘hired guns’ fall

CEBU, Philippines — Police operatives in Central Visayas have arrested in separate operations eight suspected guns-for-hire linked to at least five shooting incidents in Cebu City.

Police Brigadier General Redrico Maranan, regional director of the Police Regional Office-7, confirmed that the arrested individuals were members of two gun-for-hire groups operating in Cebu City.

In a press conference on Sunday, Maranan said the arrest was a result of a series of police operations conducted between January 17 and March 1, 2025.

During these anti-criminality operations, authorities seized eight firearms and recovered 166 grams of illegal drugs. Maranan said that the confiscated firearms would undergo ballistic examination and cross-matching to determine if they were used in previous shooting incidents in Cebu City.

“With the arrest of these suspects, we expect that shooting incidents in the area will significantly decrease. Once cross-matching is completed, we may also be able to solve some of these crimes,” Maranan said.

The suspects are believed to be members of two notorious groups, identified as the Tañeza and Ylaya groups, which have been linked to multiple shootings in the city. One of the suspects was identified as Jumil Bataycan, 21, a resident of Barangay Mambaling, Cebu City.

“In terms of our parameters in the PNP, these are local groups, but they have a hierarchy. They have a boss, a leader, a financier, and members. There are also lookouts, individuals who provide motorcycles, and those who purchase firearms. So, we can say that they have an organized structure,” Maranan explained.

He also revealed that the loose firearms recovered from the suspects were obtained from the black market.

“That is why we will continue our efforts to locate and seize these loose firearms. We will investigate where these weapons are being sourced,” he added.

Maranan noted that based on police interviews, the suspects have been cooperative and have provided valuable information, including details on where they acquired the firearms and illegal drugs.

“We will continue to conduct operations to finally neutralize these gun-for-hire groups,” Maranan said, emphasizing that the two groups are now considered neutralized and inoperative. However, he assured the public that police operations would continue to apprehend other remaining members of the syndicates. — (FREEMAN)