ILOILO CITY (PNA) — Police arrested two more members of a highway robbery gang during a raid in their safehouse in Barangay Lumbo, Potatan, Iloilo.

Police said the gang members belonged to the Culafo Group, a notorious crime syndicate involved in highway-robbery and hold-up cases in Iloilo province.

Arrested were Jessie Labordo and Noel Leal, both residents of Brgy. Po-ong, Lambunao, Iloilo.

They were arrested by combined operatives of Iloilo Provincial Police Office’s (IPPO’s) Special Operations Group and Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team.

Recovered during the raid were a 12-gauge shotgun, ammunitions and a motorcycle believed to have been stolen.

Police said the duo has been placed under investigation to determine if they have a pending warrant of arrest filed against them.

Police also said the crackdown against notorious elements was part of the Philippine National Police's (PNP) campaign to neutralize crime groups believed to be behind the spate of highway robbery and hold-up cases in the province of Iloilo.

Sr. Supt. Ricardo De la Paz, Iloilo police chief, said the duo were members of the Culafo Group, which operate in the municipalities of Duenas, Dingle, Passi City including Cabatuan and Calinog in Iloilo province.

A week ago, two of their accomplices, identified as Hadji Lalantacon and William Pacaco, were also arrested in a police operation staged at their hideout in Brgy. Capay-Capay, Duenas, Iloilo.

However, the leader of the Culafo Group, identified as Roland Lalaquihon, has managed to escape before the raiding operatives could pounce on their safehouse.

Recovered inside the safe house were a fragmentation grenade, a 12-gauge shotgun, magazine and live ammunition.

The raiding team also recovered a fragmentation grenade, a stolen electric pump and a motorcycle at Lalantacon’s house while Pacaco’s residence yielded, after a thorough search, a .45 caliber pistol and ammunition.