LAWAS
Be extra careful.”
Senior Supt. Rey Lyndon Lawas, deputy director for operations of the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7), warned all policemen to be vigilant following a report that two police officials and three intelligence officers are targets of an assassination plot.
Lawas said the three alleged hired killers who were arrested by police in Mandaue City last Monday evening admitted that they were jointly paid P165,000 to kill three intelligence officers in Danao City, and another P200,000 to assassinate the police station chiefs of Danao City and Liloan town.
He said the three suspects refused to name who contracted the assassinations of the policemen.
Lawas ordered the Cebu Provincial Police Office and the different intelligence units in the region to conduct a thorough investigation to identify the mastermind who hired the suspects.
“We will take the appropriate legal action against these people (mastermind/s),” he said.
Three armed persons believed to be remnants of the illegal drugs ring ran by self-confessed drug lord Alvaro “Barok” Alvaro were arrested during a hot pursuit in Mandaue City Monday night.
Jeppe Rosal, 29, of San Francisco town on Camotes Island; Arnel Mata, 26, and his 17-year-old relative, both from Danao City, are detained at the police station in Barangay Subangdaku, Mandaue City, pending the filing of charges against them.
One of their alleged cohorts, Roque Almerez, initially eluded arrest but was later killed in a follow-up operation by the police in Barangay Looc, Danao City, past 3 p.m. on Tuesday.
Almerez, also known as RR Alvaro, was said to be the nephew of Barok, according to the police.
Rosal, on the other hand, was allegedly the gunman in the murder of Senior Inspector Jonas Tajanlangit, chief of police of Poro town on Camotes Islands last April 4.
Lawas said the suspects told the police that their targets include Chief Insp. Franco Rudolf Oriol of the Liloan police, Senior Insp. Alejandro Batobalonos of the Danao Police Station and three noncommissioned officers assigned in Danao City.
“The plan was complete. It was just a matter of implementing it. We’re fortunate that we were able to arrest these persons,” Lawas said.
Batobalonos said threats are not new to him.
He said there were persons who called the Danao City Police Office and requested him to wear a bulletproof vest.
“Dugay na ko nakadawat og threats. Wa koy laing gidudahan gawas ni Barok kay siya ang pinakadako nga nabangga namo diri. (I’ve been receiving threats. I believe Barok is behind all these because he’s the biggest target we’ve encountered so far),” Batobalonos said.
“Part naman ni sa among trabaho. Ako na gisalig sa Ginoo ang tanan. (Threats are part of our work. I entrust everything to God),” he added.
Barok, who surrendered to the National Bureau of Investigation, is currently detained at the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center on drug charges.
Senior Supt. Lawas asked all policemen to exercise extra caution since drug personalities dislike the antinarcotics campaign of the Philippine National Police.
“They (drug lords) have the capability to pay killers to assassinate us. We just have to be very careful,” Lawas said.
“Those who engage in illegal activities will eliminate anyone who impedes their operations,” he added.