Some pols using gun-for-hire groups as private armies —Albayalde

The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Monday bared that some politicians have sought the services of gun-for-hire groups to serve as their private armies.

In a press briefing, PNP chief Director General Oscar Albayalde said recent operations of the PNP Anti-Kidnapping Group have led to the neutralization of two groups allegedly involved in gun-for-hire activities.

"These two groups both provide services as private armed groups to some politicians and their activities are sustained by proceeds from illegal drugs and kidnapping-for-ransom," Albayalde said.

Albayalde, however, refused to identify the politicians supposedly using these groups as their information is still being validated.

"We cannot divulge the names of politicans. We have intelligence information that needs to be confirmed and validated. Hindi lang natin basta-basta masabi 'yung pangalan ng politiko," Albayalde said.

The PNP chief also said police will coordinate with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) regarding the information they had obtained.

Police ops

Albayalde said authorities had arrested five alleged members of the Peralta Group, which was tagged in cases of assassination in Nueva Ecija, Bulacan, Tarlac, Cagayan Valley and Metro Manila.

The suspects were identified as:

• Dennis Matias
• Mary Ann Mallari
• Raymond Dequina
• John Laña
• Jackie Lou Isidro

Albayalde said Ricardo Peralta, the group's leader who is still at large, is a subject of several warrants of arrest in various crimes such as multiple murder, kidnapping, carnapping, highway robbery and brigandage.

"Ricardo Peralta is co-accused with former Gapan Mayor Ernesto Natividad for the murder of Ericson and Ebertson Pascual in a Nueva Ecija cockpit in 2006. The Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption has offered P5 million reward for information leading to the arrest of Peralta," he said.

During the separate operations in Northern and Central Luzon, police were able to seize the following:

• Two handguns
• Two assault rifles
• One carbine conversion kit
• Twenty-two different ATM and credit cards
• Four mobile phones
• One shotguns
• A grenade and two improvised explosive devices (IEDs), and
• Three Sports Utility Vehicles

Meanwhile, police also conducted operations against Christopher Alain Alvero in his compound in Barangay San Ignacio in San Pablo City last Saturday, which resulted in the death of Alvero and two unidentified male individuals.

Alvero, a high value target according to the PNP, is included in the drug watch list of the city's anti-drug abuse council.

Other suspects who were nabbed were identified as Anthony Rosas and Enrico Eric Suasi.

During the raid, police recovered the following:

• One sniper rifle
• An automatic shotgun
• One M16 assault rifle
• Six handguns
• Two grenades, and
• Assorted ammunition for different firearms

Albayalde said authorities are serious with the campaign against private armed groups and loose firearms.

He also stressed that these operations were part of their proactive measures in preparation for the 2019 midterm elections.

"These two successful operations, in no small measure, will lessen possible election-related violence in the forthcoming 2019 national elections by neutralizing private armed groups and taking away instruments of violence used for political purposes," Albayalde said.

"Hangga't maaari, hindi natin paabutin ng eleksyon 'yan. That's why we want to have a honest and orderly elections kaya tayo may operations na ganito. These are all part of our proactive measures," he added.  —KBK, GMA News