Police catch QC’s most wanted man

Quezon City’s most wanted criminal—who together with his brothers were believed to be behind at least two murders and several robberies—has finally been arrested.

Manny Limjoco, 39, a resident of Barangay Socorro in the Cubao area, was tracked down by authorities to his home province of Pangasinan on Saturday.

Limjoco was facing at least two arrest warrants for murder charges in Quezon City and another arrest warrant for illegal drugs in Manila, according to Quezon City Police District (QCPD) head Chief Supt. Joel Pagdilao.

Pagdilao, who presented the fugitive to reporters on Monday, said that Limjoco was a primary suspect in the killing of Chinese-Filipino businessman Albert Ang in 2011.

He was also involved in another killing, that of vendor Jojo Badiola, in 2013. Pagdilao said both incidents took place in the Cubao area over separate traffic disputes, based on QCPD records.

The Limjoco gang, composed of at least five brothers, was also linked to at least three robbery incidents in Quezon City in 2014 alone although the group has been operating since 2009, Pagdilao added.

Limjoco evaded an attempt by the police to arrest him in 2013 for Ang’s murder. Limjoco’s brother, Marvin, helped him escape by setting a dog on the arresting officers led by Insp. Alan de la Cruz.

Marvin was later arrested for obstruction of justice, only to be tagged by a witness as a suspect in Badiola’s murder.

De la Cruz, the head of the QCPD Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit’s robbery and theft division, said that at least two more Limjoco brothers remain at large. De la Cruz said another brother was killed in an encounter with members of the Highway Patrol Group although De la Cruz could not recall his name.

Pagdilao, meanwhile, added that another brother, identified only as Mike, was earlier placed in a mental health institution for the effects of heavy drug use.

Reporters tried to ask Limjoco about the cases and allegations against him but he refused to answer.

Cubao station commander Supt. Marlou Martinez said they were trying to determine if there were more arrest warrants out for Limjoco, not only in Quezon City but in other areas as well. “We believe there may be more,” Martinez added.

Pagdilao said that Limjoco’s arrest was significant as it was a move toward neutralizing the seven criminal gangs operating in Quezon City, most of whose leaders have already been arrested.

“Of 130 wanted criminals in the city, we have already arrested 60, including Limjoco,” Pagdilao told reporters.