GANG MEMBERS' ARREST. Brig. Gen. Pablo Labra II, director of the Police Regional Office 13 (Caraga). Labra on Saturday (Feb 18, 2023) reported the arrest of two members of the notorious Betos Group in Barangay Look, Danao, Cebu on Feb. 16. (Photo courtesy of PRO-13 Information Office)
BUTUAN CITY – Two members of the notorious Betos crime group in the Caraga Region were arrested by personnel of the regional police and Cebu police in Barangay Look, Danao City in Cebu on Thursday afternoon.
Maj. Jennifer Ometer, Police Regional Office 13 (Caraga) Public Information Office chief, identified the arrested suspects as Welly Fortunado Gulpe, 25, and Joselito Merlin Jr., alias Junjun Merlin, 20.
“The Betos Group is a notorious gang in the region involved in different crimes, such as murder, robbery, and carnapping,” Ometer said in a phone interview on Saturday morning.
She added that the PRO-13 has classified the Betos Group as a criminal gang and a potential private armed group.
Gulpe has standing arrest warrants for robbery, grave threats, two counts of murder, and for violation of Republic Act 10883 or the New Anti-Canapping Act of 2016, issued by Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 28 in Lianga, Surigao del Sur.
Meanwhile, Merlin has an arrest warrant for robbery issued by the same court.
In a separate statement on Saturday, PRO-13 Director Brig. Gen. Pablo Labra II said the suspects were involved in gun-for-hire, robbery, illegal drug, illegal gambling, and extortion activities in the towns of Barobo, Lianga, and Tagbina in Surigao del Sur; and in the municipalities of Rosario, San Francisco, and Prosperidad in Agusan del Sur.
“These accomplishments clearly manifest that even the most wanted criminals hiding at great lengths, this will never be an excuse to halt our police operations, as it is, and will always be, our commitment to apprehend these wanted persons,” Labra said.
He added that the arrests were also the result of an in-depth investigation, surveillance, and coordination of PRO-13 with the Cebu Police.
Milisya ng bayan
Meanwhile, Labra also presented in a press conference on Saturday morning an active member of the Milisya ng Bayan of the New People’s Army (NPA), identified as Mar Enriquez.
Enriquez was arrested in a police operation in Purok 7, Sitio Banate, Barangay Gata, San Agustin, Surigao del Sur on Friday.
He has a standing arrest warrant for robbery issued by the RTC Branch 28 in Lianga, Surigao del Sur.
“Enriquez was involved in a robbery incident on Oct. 12, 2020 at the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Sub-Station in Wakat, Barobo, Surigao del Sur,” Labra said.
The robbery resulted in the confiscation of stolen firearms of PCG personnel, personal belongings, and other government properties, he added. (PNA)
