| More
robbers to surrender?
BY RUBY P. SILUBRICO
ILOILO – Suspected members of the Alarba
robbery group have sent surrenders feelers to the police.
They said they want to clear their names.
Senior Supt. Renato Gumban, director of the
Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO), directed his intelligence
chief, Supt. Ipil Dueñas, to negotiate with those who
want to surrender.
He assured the safety of those who will be
surrendering.
There are four more robbery groups operating
in the province, said Gumban.
With the help of the Armed Forces of the Philippines,
the IPPO is also targeting the Moquete, Cordero, Palma and
Poblacion groups.
The Alarba group reportedly has links with
the Palma and Poblacion robbery groups.
On Tuesday, Gumban declared the Chiva robbery
group “neutralized” after the surrender of its
suspected leader Jenil Chiva and suspected member Jeran Decretales.
Over the weekend, the IPPO killed Chiva group
members Gilbert Chiva and Joey Chiva, and arrested alive Arnel
Chiva in Brgy. Alibunan, Calinog town.
Gumban called on other suspected robbers to
peacefully turn themselves in to the police to avoid the fate
suffered by Gilbert and Joey.
Policemen shot the two early morning on Saturday
for resisting arrest.
“We are serious in our campaign against
robberies,” stressed Gumban. “This is a non-stop
operation. I appeal to the (robbers) to surrender peacefully.
We don’t want to kill anybody but if we are in danger,
we have to protect our lives, too.”
The Chiva group has around 20 members operating
in central Iloilo towns, said Gumban.
The group was responsible for the series of
recent robbery incidents in Calinog, Janiuay, Dueñas,
Tubungan, Bingawan and Badiangan, he added.
To sustain the momentum of the anti-robbery
campaign, Gumban said he will continue to enlist the help
of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, Regional
Special Operations Group and the Philippine Army’s 4th
Infantry Battalion. They proved effective in last Saturday’s
operation.
Also with Gumban in the operation were operatives
of the IPPO Intelligence Division headed by Dueñas,
the 3rd and 4th Maneuver Platoons, and the IPPO Special Weapons
and Tactics./PN
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