Tukuran police file charges against ‘Notorious Robbery Gang’ operating in Mindanao

Three arrested suspects from left Edgaro C. Elmidulan from

Pagadian City, Meljhon L. Gornes from Maranding Lala, Lanao

del Norte/Tukuran Zamboanga del Sur and Wilma Impas Putis

from Clarin Missamis Occidental and Cagayan de Oro City.

PAGADIAN CITY, Zamboanga del Sur (March 11, 2015) --- The Police have filed charges at the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office against the 5 arrested and wounded suspects in an encounter  Friday afternoon at Barangay Camanga in the nearby coastal town of Tukuran of this province, Police Official said.

Police Provincial Director Senior Supt. Sofronio Ecaldre said three cases of Robbery with force and intimidation, frustrated murder and attempted murder were filed by Tukuran Municipal Police Station (MPS) against the 5 suspected members of the ‘Notorious Robbery Gang’ operating in Mindanao.

Ecaldre said that of the 5 suspects arrested two were wounded and confined at the Zamboanga del Sur Medical Center while the 3 others were killed in an encounter between the responding operatives of Tukuran Municipal Police Station headed by its Chief of Police Chief Inspector Gilzen Niño Regis Manese.

 

(from left) 2 wounded female identified as Genelyn Baller Lacre

aka Doods, 27, single and Sugar Libot Clifon, 28, married,jobless

Ecaldre in the initial investigation disclosed that the encounter transpired between the suspects after the police operatives responded to the reported shooting and robbery incident at Loremae Restaurant in Barangay Militar, Tukuran at around 5:30 p.m. Friday.

Ecaldre said the suspects onboard a get-away vehicle Carlight Daewoo Matiz Sedan in full speed hurdled the second checkpoint established by the police operatives along the National highway Junction Road, Barangay Curvada that prompted them to chase the suspects, and later were cornered at Barangay Camanga of the same town resulted to a firefight that lasted for more than 2 minutes.

The police have recovered from the crime scene 4 45-caliber pistol with magazines and 1 Glock-17 caliber 9mm pistol with magazine and ammunition after the suspects were neutralized.

Ecaldre identified the 3 killed male suspects as Gibson Lezada Gomera alias ‘KYLE’ “POGI” 25, single a resident of Cebu City, Gabriel Baylon aka “BALONG” a resident of Cagayan de Oro City and Herald Paras Galleros “Dodong” or “DONG PARTS” is accordingly from Jimenez, Misamis Occidental.

The 3 other arrested suspects were also identified as Edgardo Elmidulan y Cabillo, 54 widower, jobless and a resident of Purok Narra San Pedro District , Pagadian City, Wilma Putis y Empas, 45 widow businesswoman and a resident of Clarin, Misamis Occidental with standing warrant of arrest for Murder case at Opol, Misamis Oriental and Maljon Lumuljo Gornes, 35, married, conductor and a resident of Purok Makugihon, Barangay Sto. Niño, Tukuran.

Meanwhile the other 2 wounded female suspects confined at the hospital were identified as Sugar Libot Clifon, 28, married, jobless a resident of Grand Europa, Lumbia, Cagayan de Oro City and Genelyn Baller Lacre aka Doods, 27, single, resident of Frontiera Grand Europa, Block 37 Lot 37, Lumbia, Cagayan de Oro City.

Ecaldre added that the suspects identified were involved in the series of robbery of LBC and JRS in Pagadian City few weeks ago and in other places in Mindanao.

Ecaldre also said that the suspects were also responsible for a series of robbery hold-up in Cagayan del Oro after the government issued firearm Glock-17 caliber 9mm pistol owned by the policeman they disarmed and carted was recovered from their possession. 

The recovered firearms were turned-over to the Crime Laboratory for ballistic examination while the case was being filed in court against them, he said.

Hot pursuit encounter

On the other hand, Tukuran Chief of Police Chief Inspector Manese said  

after minutes of mobile pursuit for more or less 3 kilometers, car chase and upon reaching Barangay Camanga Tukuran, the said vehicle suddenly stopped as five male armed men hastily disembarked from the vehicle and fired upon the pursuing police personnel while still onboard the patrol car that prompted the policemen to return fire and engage in a shootout that lasted more or less two minutes. This resulted in the immediate death of one of the suspects later fully identified as alias ‘KYLE’ or “POGI.”

After the encounter resulted in the immediate death of one

suspects later fully identified as Gibson Lezada Gomera alias

‘KYLE’ “POGI” 25, single a resident of Cebu City.

Manese added that four of the five armed men while still firing slowly withdrew while two of the four fleeing suspects forcibly breachede a house nearby owned by Paul Maluloy-on and held the occupants of the house as hostages including two high school students and other children inside the house, but pursuing police operatives were able to neutralize and kill the hostage-taker identified later as Gabriel while another suspect identified later as  “DODONG” or “DONG PARTS” was also killed during firefight while trying to escape.

He also disclosed that the other two suspects were later apprehended by other responding police officer and identified as Gormes and Elmidulan. (MPF News -JONG D. CADION)