Sun.Star: Pampanga cops rubbed out tipster, say kin

Relatives of a slain suspected robbery gang member accused Pampanga police of staging a summary execution when they killed him in the province last weekend. Sun.Star Pampanga reported Monday that kin of Virgilio "Ogie" Oronce claimed that he and other victims of the shootout at Baliti village in Arayat town were rubbed out. Oronce's wife Yolanda said her husband and Dennis "Moks" Bungke were killed in a "rubout," and that her husband was neither a hold-up man nor a carjacker but was a kindhearted trader. Last Sunday, Oronce and Bungke were killed while seven were arrested following a brief shootout with police operatives. Senior Superintendent Keith Ernald Singian, Pampanga police director, identified the arrested suspects as Jose Macasaquit, 65, and Arjay Cunanan, 16, both residents of Barangay (village) Sta Cruz, in Magalang town; Jonel Ocampo, 25, of Barangay Sta Maria, Mabalacat; Benedicto Cuson, 34, of Barangay Jolo, San Antonio, Nueva Ecija; Wilmark Pineda, 21, of Barangay Cupang and and Bernie Martin of Barangay Baliti, both of Arayat town; and Harrison de Leon, also a resident in the area. The police in earlier reports said all the arrested suspects including the fatalities are believed to be members of the dreaded "Baliti Gang" allegedly responsible for robberies, hold-ups and carjacking activities in the area. Investigation showed joint elements of the Pampanga Intelligence Branch, Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Team, 310th Provincial Mobile Group and Arayat police station were about to serve a search warrant for illegal firearms at Oronce's home when the shootout ensued, which resulted to the death of the group's alleged members. Singian said the police were able to recover and confiscate illegal drugs, firearms and ammunitions, among others from the scene. However, Yolanda denied reports that Oronce was involved in any illegal activities, saying he was not a member of any armed group operating in the area. She said her husband even coordinated with the Magalang police for the arrest of hold-up men in the area. She claimed that a police officer in Magalang sent a text message to Oronce regarding a mission to entrap a known hold-up man in their area. Yolanda added that Oronce has a 9-mm and a .45-cal. pistol, and claimed that the firearms presented by the police to the media were only "planted." Bon Alejandrino of the Hukbong Mapaglaya ng Bayan (HMB) also said Oronce was not a member of the armed group, saying that he is a relative. Oronce’s wife also accused police of carting away pieces of jewelry worth P35,000 and cash money amounting to P24,000. Yolanda also said the police even threatened her children, including an infant, with guns. - GMANews.TV