Ozamiz gang leader paid off Cavite police for protection, says kin

(Updated 12:48 p.m.) Ozamiz robbery group leader Ricky Cadavero told his sister that he felt free to walk around after escaping from prison last year because he had paid off the Cavite police for protection.

 

"Sabi ko huwag kang kumpiyansang palakad-lakad diyan sa labas. Sabi niya sa akin, 'Hindi naman ako takot na maglakad-lakad diyan sa labas kasi binayaran ko naman lahat ng pulis,'" Rosalinda told GMA News on Thursday, recalling her last conversation with her brother on June 14.

 

According to Rosalinda, Cadavero (alias "Kambal") told her he had paid off the police to protect him. "Basta ang sinasabi niya sa akin, lahat ng Pulis Cavite. Kasi sa Cavite siya nakatira. Lahat...binayaran daw yun ng pera para hindi siya huhulihin," she said.

 

Cadavero and his colleague Wilfredo Panogalinga Jr., alias "Kulot," were killed by their police escorts in Laguna on Monday night. Police claimed the two tried to grab the firearms of their escorts when unidentified armed men fired at the police convoy. 

 

Police officers were transporting Cadavero and Panogalinga back to Camp Vicente Lim in Laguna from Cavite, where the two underwent inquest proceedings, a previous report said.

An initial police report said the van carrying Cadavero and Panogalinga was shot at by unknown gunmen on two motorcycles as the police convoy was passing through San Pedro, Laguna on the Magsaysay Highway.

Asked for comment on Rosalinda's allegations against the Cavite Police, PNP spokesman Senior Supt. Reuben Theodore Sindac said: "These [allegations] will all be part of the ongoing investigation on the case."

GMA News Online tried to contact the Cavite Provincial Police Office for comment, but officials were not available as of posting time.

Silenced

 

However, Rosalinda said police were involved in her brother's death. "Sinadya po nilang patayin yung kapatid ko para manahimik na. At alam nilang mabubulgar na kasabwat sila," she said.

 

According to Rosalinda, her brother already had an inkling that he would be killed. "Humihingi siya ng tulong na sana susundan-sundan siya kung saan kasi alam niyang mapapatay na siya. May plano na yung mga pulis sa kanya," she said.

 

Rosalinda admitted that her brother was a member of the Ozamiz robbery group, but said she did not believe he was the leader. "Ginagamit lang siguro po siya sa pagnanakaw pero sa leader, hindi po kapapaniwala. 

 

"Kasi ang kapatid ko, nakita niyo naman kung ano ang hitsura. Inaamin ko na kasama siya diyan, sa Ozamiz robbery...pero may mga tao pang malalaki na nakahawak sa kanila," she said.

 

"Hindi namin alam kung sino ang lider talaga diyan, kung sino ang ulo, utak diyan. Hindi namin alam," said Cadavero's mother, Luzviminda.

 

She said she did not know the others involved in the robbery group, but that her son had told her they were going to make him the leader.

 

"Nagpaalam 'yan sa akin: 'Mama, ako ang kukunin nilang maging lider sa'—ano, Ozamiz gang ba 'yun, hindi ko alam...pinayuhan ko siya, 'Huwag, mahirapan ka na kapag nakasunod ka na sa grupo, mahirapan ka maglabas,'" she said. According to Luzviminda, she last spoke with her son in 2011.

 

Meanwhile, Rosalinda said she last saw her brother on August 24, 2012, and that they kept in touch via cellphone. "Pinayuhan ko siya na huminto na. Huwag nang gumawa ng ganun. Sinabi naman niya sa akin, wala na, wala na, hindi na ako gumagawa sabi niya sa akin," she said.



View Ozamiz gang death route in a larger map

Relieved of command

 

Amid a widening investigation of the deaths of Cadavero and Panogalinga, Calabarzon Police Chief Superintendent Benito Estipona was relieved of his command.
 

At a press conference on Wednesday, Interior Secretary Mar Roxas said the shooting deaths raised serious doubts among senior officials, prompting them to elevate the investigation to the directorate level of the Philippine National Police.

 

The investigation will look into what Justice Secretary Leila De Lima called "suspicious circumstances" surrounding the deaths.

In a separate interview on "News to Go" Roxas said Cadavero was a high-risk detainee, but was not treated as such.

"'Yan ang problema, kung hindi nasunod ang reglamento para nga maiwasan itong mga pangyayaring ito, may pananagutan yung mga hindi sumunod," he said, noting that Cadavero should have been handcuffed from behind.
 
"High-risk na individual ito at saka high-value na paghuli itong tao na ito, biro mo dinala pa sa Crame, nandoon nag-turnover. Minsan ay nakatakas na nga ito, parang medyo kulang ang pag-iingat or prevention sa ganitong kaganapan na ito," Roxas added.

 

Among the unanswered questions were why the inquest proceedings were done outside the National Bilibid Prison despite the fact that they were high-risk detainees, why there were only six police escorts, and why an ordinary vehicle was used to transport the two men. 

 

De Lima also criticized the announcement on Monday that the suspects had been turned over to the Bureau of Corrections, only to be brought to Cavite by police.

Also on Wednesday, PNP chief Director General Alan Purisima said they would look into why the turnover of the two to the Bureau of Corrections did not push through, as well as the allegation made by Cadavero's family that several policemen were in cahoots with the Ozamiz gang. — Carmela G. Lapeña with Amanda Fernandez/RSJ/LBG/HS, GMA News