MANILA, Philippines—A leader of an organized crime group notorious for robbery hold-up activities in Pampanga and Tarlac, along with two of his members, were killed in an alleged pre-dawn shootout with police Sunday in Angeles City, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) said Monday.
CIDG chief, Police Director Samuel Pagdilao Jr., identified the slain members of the Dan Muslim Gang as Bonifacio Lacson, 27; Gilbert Natividad, 23; and Jayson Nardo. CIDG said the group was about to rob a gasoline station in the city when they engaged in a gun-running battle with police.
Pampanga CIDG chief, Police Chief Inspector Fernando Cunanan Jr., said that a member of the Community Investigative Support tipped the CIDG last Saturday that the group was planning to rob a businesswoman engaged in a cellular phone business at GENRA Mall in Angeles City. But due to the presence of mall guards, the suspects opted to instead rob the Sea Oil Gasoline Station located at Henson Ville Subdivision, Angeles City.
When the suspects, who disguised as customers, arrived at the gas station around 4:30 a.m. Sunday on board two motorcycles, one of the suspects sped off after sensing the police were in the area. This prompted authorities to give chase.
When they got to Robinsons Homes, the suspects allegedly fired at the CIDG operatives, which eventually led to a running gun battle. One of the suspects was hit while the two others fell several meters from the first suspect.
Another suspect, the driver of the motorcycle, however, escaped. CIDG have recovered two .38 caliber revolvers, a dagger, and an ice pick near the suspects.
Pagdilao said Nardo became the new leader of the Dan Muslim Gang after its former leader, Danilo Paredes a.k.a Dan Muslim, got arrested last year for the killing of Kang Ha Yong, a Korean national and resident of Angeles City.
The group, he said, has been included in CIDG’s watch-list of crime groups engaged in robbery holdup and gun-for-hire activities in areas of Pampanga and Tarlac.