Caloocan’s most wanted tagged in robbery-homicides arrested

MANILA, Philippines—Police arrested on Sunday the most wanted man in Caloocan City, who was tagged in the killing of a Caloocan City official earlier this year.

The Caloocan Police named the suspect as Richard Ramos, one of three brothers who ran a robbery and holdup group known for shooting their targets point blank and then taking valuables from them.

Senior Superintendent Jude Santos, chief of the Caloocan Police, said that Ramos was arrested on Sunday morning.

“A tracker team, which was doing surveillance on Ramos for some time, arrested Ramos at about 8:30 a.m. on Sunday at a safe house in Barangay (village) 163, Caloocan North,” he said.

Ramos is now detained at the Caloocan Police headquarters and is facing at least five charges, including one in which he targeted the chief of Caloocan City’s Environmental Sanitation Services.

“He works by shooting the victim point blank and then ransacking his belongings for money and valuables. He’s been charged with two counts of robbery with homicide, one count of robbery with frustrated homicide, one count of robbery, and one count of illegal possession of firearms,” Santos said.

The latest case filed against Ramos was robbery with homicide for the death of Caloocan Environmental Sanitation Services Chief Ruben Merrera in June this year.

“Witnesses identified Ramos as one of two men who shot Merrera while driving with his wife along Narra St. in Bagumbong in the morning of June 28,” Santos said.

He added Merrera’s wife, a dentist at the City Health Office, was injured in the attack. The two then took money from Merrera’s car and fled.

Ramos’ two other brothers — Wilfredo and Felimon — were shot dead in 2011 in Barangay 168.