Gang leader wanted for Halsema, Vizcaya, Ifugao hold-ups nabbed

CAMP BADO DANGWA, La Trinidad, Benguet - Police arrested the alleged leader of a robbery hold-up and cattle rustling group operating in Benguet, Ifugao and Nueva Vizcaya.

Regional police director Chief Supt. Benjamin B Magalong identified the leader of the “Loloy” Group as Lorenzo Binay-an Laoyan alias Loloy, 39, resident of Tinoc, Ifugao.

Laoyan who carried a monetary reward of P 140,000 for his capture was nabbed by Ifugao and Benguet early morning of June 13 at his hideout at Central Balili, La Trinidad.

Judge Danilo Camacho, of the Regional Trial Court Branch 62 in La Trinidad issued an arrest warrant against him for murder.

 “The group was responsible in the series of robbery hold-up along Halsema Highway in 2007 where a victim was shot to death at close range after their vehicle was held up in Cagam-is, Madaymen, Kibungan, Benguet,” Magalong said.

 Since January of this year, four other notorious criminals with monetary rewards were also reportedly arrested by police regionwide.

Records showed from January to May, Cordillera police  accounted 522 wanted persons of which 80 were listed as “top most wanted persons” and 442 “wanted persons.”

“They were all arrested by virtue of warrants of arrest issued by different courts for various crimes,” Magalong said.

This, as a certain Cirilo Talaga Alvarez, 58 of Barangay Taping, Lagangilang, Abra was shot dead by unidentified suspects around 10:30 a.m. of June 13 in Sitio Nagsayangan, Barangay Tagodtod, Lagangilang.

Initial investigation disclosed the victim was headed to  Tagodtod on board a motorcycle when, unknown to him, he was followed by three  unidentified suspects on board a single motorcycle.

Upon reaching the crime scene, one of the riders pulled out a firearm and shot the victim several times causing his death. 

The suspects escaped and their identity now being verified.

The victim was taken to Abra Provincial Hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival by Dr Apolinar L Turqueza, attending physician.

Police recovered three spent cartridges and one slug of Super .38 pistol where Alvarez was shot.