Tarlac City – – We will not allow Tarlac to be haven of criminals.
Thus, said Tarlac Police Provincial Director SSupt Ritchie Posadas as he announced the killing of a suspected murderer, tagged as Samar province’s number one most wanted person, who was slain when he fought it out with policemen serving warrantsfor his arrest yesterday at the plush Fairlane Subdivision, Barangay San Vicente.
Posadas identified the slain suspected murderer of 2 persons and almost killing another in his hometown Calbayog City as Genesis Oquendo, AKA Etin.
Chief Supt. Amador V. Corpus, director of the Police Regional Office 3 (PRO3), on Tuesday said that Oquendo opened fire on the operating team that was about to serve him the warrant of arrest for three counts of murder issued by Judge Ernesto L. Penaflor of Regional Trial Court Branch 32 in Calbayog City, Samar.
Oquendo is said to be the leader of the Oquendo gun-for-hire group formerly operating in Samar and in Bicol area but is believed to have transferred his criminal activities here.
Two of his cohorts identified as Henry Palmones, 48, of Barangay San Francisco and Victor Vasquez, 40, of Barangay Banao, both of Guinobatan town, Albay, were arrested.
Seized from their possession were one caliber .45 pistol with serial number 763127 loaded with seven live ammunition; one Colt caliber .45 with serial number 120581 loaded with two live ammunition; one caliber .38 loaded with four live ammunition on its cylinder; and five ammunition for caliber .45 pistol.
Recovered from the crime scene, on the other hand, were four fired cartridge cases for caliber .45 and a caliber .45 pistol.
Oquendo carries a P50,000 reward for his head, dead or alive.
Posadas also revealed that the police team who chanced on Oquendo were from the Tarlac City police headed by PSupt Bayani Razalan, the Tarlac Provincial Intelligence Branch led by PSupt Luis Ventura Jr and the police contingent from the Samar Police Provincial Office.
Meanwhile, Corpus said, “This accomplishment only goes to show that the PNP-PRO3 is stern in its implementation of an obstinate and efficient campaign against lawlessness especially those who are wanted by the law. We will keep on conducting a wide range pro-active approach and strategy in our fight against criminality.”/with report from PNA