CAMP TOLENTINO, Bataan — An organized crime syndicate reportedly involved in a series of hijacking and gun-for-hire cases was busted with the arrest Wednesday of an incumbent barangay chairman and his three cohorts in Hermosa town.

Senior Superintendent Arnold D. Gunnacao, Bataan police director, identified the suspects as Arnold Pantig, 40, barangay chairman of Tagumpay, Orani town; Arturo Mariano of Talimundoc, Orani; Dominador Pantig Jr. of Cataning, Hermosa town; and Reynaldo Retondo, also of Hermosa.

Gunnacao said the busting of the syndicate and the arrest of the suspects came after Retondo was caught illegally possessing a .38 caliber revolver by Hermosa policemen led by Senior Inspector Elmer Santiago. Police said that during interrogation, Retondo allegedly admitted links to a syndicate led by Pantig.

Gunnacao said a team led by Santiago and Inspector Edgardo Bernardo was created to go after the other suspects until they spotted a Hyundai van with license plate number XET 302 along Roman Highway at about 1 p.m. Wednesday.

An intelligence report received by Gunnacao revealed that the van has three armed occupants.
 
The police team later flagged down the vehicle and caught the suspects in possession of a Springfield .38 caliber revolver with defaced serial number and loaded with six bullets, an Armscor .38 caliber revolver bearing serial number 851387 and loaded with six bullets, and an MK2 fragmentation grenade.

Also found in the van were plastic bag with masking tapes and other gadgets believed used in hijacking.

Gunnacao said the group is being held responsible for the recent hijacking of a cargo truck carrying 17,800 heads of DOC Broiler C/A (sisiw) worth P714,000; 223 sets of chicken crates worth P334,000.00; and 45 pieces pf steel cover worth P90,000 on January 10, 2010. The truck is owned by Recto Samaniego of Barangay Doña, Orani, Bataan.

Meanwhile, Gunnacao said Reynaldo Hementera, a truck driver of San Leonardo, Nueva Ecija; and Ryan Santos Dela Cruz, 26, a truck helper, of San Isidro Nueva Ecija appeared before the police office and tagged the four suspects.

The duo said the suspects, then aboard a Hi-Ace van, stopped them on Roman Highway, Barangay Mabatang, Abucay, Bataan, and forced them to board their vehicles where they were hogtied, blindfolded, and gagged with masking tapes. They were later dumped in Sitio Pio, Porac, Pampanga.

Hementera and Dela Cruz said some of the suspects took over their truck loaded with 500 bags of US soya bean meal with an estimated value of P500,000.

Other victims who appeared were truck driver Arnel Cruz, 27,of Barangay Bilolo, Orion, Bataan, and his helper Ricardo Paulo Jr. They were on their way to La Union to deliver their cargo when a white Mitsubishi Pajero blocked them.  They were forced into the Pajero where they were tied up and blindfolded with masking tape.

The same group, Gunacao said, is being eyed in the hijacking of a 10-wheel truck bearing license plate WKC 226 loaded with 550 sacks of soya beans with estimated value of more or less P500,000 on July 13, 2009 at Roman Highway, Barangay Lucanin, Mariveles, Bataan.

The suspects are now facing violation of RA 8294 (Illegal Possession of Firearms and Ammunitions) and RA 9516 (Illegal Possession of Grenade/Explosives) and a separate complaint for violation of Sec. 32 of RA 7166 known as Omnibus Election Code and Highway robbery.