Gun-for-hire syndicate boss nabbed at campaign

By Liezle Basa Inigo

SAN NICOLAS, Pangasinan — The suspected leader of a gun-for-hire syndicate was arrested by police who spotted him roaming at a campaign sortie of reelectionist Mayor Rebecca M. Saldivar morning of April 16 in Barangay Bensican.

Chief Insp. Arnold Soriano, chief of police, said cops securing the area accosted Leonilo Sarmiento, 43, married, and a resident of Quezon town, Nueva Ecija, together with his companion Teodoro R. Vicente, 49, of Cabanatuan City, for suspiciously roaming the area on a motorcycle while the mayor was conducting a house-to-house campaign at 9:15 a.m.

A verification made by police showed that Sarmiento is wanted for murder and has standing warrants of arrest in Tarlac and Nueva Ecija. “We also learned he faces charges over the killing of two ABC (Association of Barangay Captains) presidents in Region 3,” said Soriano.

Peculiarly, Sarmiento’s Yamaha R6 motorcycle (3264 GB) is registered to the Presidential Security Group, said Soriano.