Tarlac City/Ramos, Tarlac – – His life is finally over.
This was the comment on Ramil Mauricio, 52, who was killed in a shoot-out with policemen from the Tarlac Police Provincial Office (TPPO) Intelligence Branch and the Pura Municipal Police Station at Barangay Poblacion South, Ramos town, last Friday night.
Mauricio retired from the Bureau of Fire Protection in December 31, 2013, and started receiving his retirement pension last January.
In an interview, Intel Branch head PSupt Luis Ventura Jr, said, “our pre-operational plan was (only) to arrest him in a buy-bust operation. But he was armed and he drew his gun. We have no choice but to defend ourselves”.
Mauricio hails from Pura town but now resides in Paniqui. He was earlier dismissed from the service but was re-admitted after he was cleared of his case and was able to retire.
In his report to TPPO Director PSSupt Ritchie Posadas, Ventura said, “in the record of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Tarlac, Mauricio is a member of the Abenojar criminal gang ‘Lahing Pinoy Group’ (LPG) who are involved in Level III drug peddling, Robbery-hold-up, Akyat –bahay, cattle rustling and gunrunning”.
Ventura also revealed that Mauricio “surrendered under Project Tokhang on December 20, 2016, in Pura, but continued his peddling illegal drugs and other criminal activities in Ramos”.
Apparently, Mauricio underwent “reformation” at the Bahay Pagbabago in Pura.
According to PSInsp Randy Niegos, police chief of Ramos, a caliber .38 pistol and 3 sachets of shabu were recovered from Mauricio’s body.
An informant who requested his name withheld said, “si Ramil nalulong sa droga.
Nagbebenta na rin siya ng shabu at napasama sa mga grupong illegal pero nag-graduate siya sa Bahay Pagbabago, 4TH batch”.
A police report says Mauricio was previously arrested for illegal drugs./ Nelson Bolos