CAMP OLIVAS, Pampanga”•A notorious criminal group allegedly led by a policeman was busted by police authorities after its leader and three members were arrested in a series of raids in separate areas in Bulacan on Monday.
BGen Valeriano De Leon, Central Luzon police director, identified the suspects as PCpl Mark Edison Belvis Quinton, assigned at the Manila Police District, National Capital Region Police Office (MPD-NCRPO); Allen Burgos Alvarado, 30, John Pizer Gamboa Salvador, 22 and Juvito Suriaga Salvador, 46, all of Tondo, Manila.
The suspects, De Leon said, were responsible for the series of “basag-kotse” (car break-ins) incidents in Bulacan, Pampanga and other areas in Central Luzon. The latest victim was Melquiades Silencio, 44, a sales agent of JYP Corporation.
Silencio told police investigators that he parked his vehicle in front of a motorcycle dealer outlet past 2 p.m. at Barangay Maguinao, San Rafael, Bulacan, when two of the suspects appeared and broke the window glass.
The suspects quickly took a backpack bag carrying important documents and a belt bag before fleeing on board an unlicensed motorcycle, Silencio told police investigators.
De Leon said the San Rafael police station established a dragnet leading to the arrest of Alvarado and Salvador. He said Quinton and the older Salvador were intercepted at a checkpoint in San Ildefonso town, also in Bulacan, later.
Quinton denied being a member of the criminal gang. He said he accompanied Salvador to the San Rafael police station to check on the arrest of Salvador’s son John Pizer, and they left after confirming the suspect was in police custody.
On their way back on board a white Ford Everest (CI MO79 conduction sticker), Quinton said Bulacan policemen flagged them down. They were held and implicated in the ‘Basag-Kotse’ incident.
Recovered from Alvarado and Salvador includes a caliber .38 revolver, a grenade and three sachets of suspected shabu. Police also recovered the stolen belt bag of the victim.
Quinton was disarmed of his service pistol and remained in the custody of the San Ildefonso police station.