World | Philippines
Police bust two mafia syndicates in Batangas
Police commandoes yesterday swooped down on safehouses of two crime syndicates in Batangas, arrested 23 members and seized weapons and an armoured personnel carrier.
- By Gilbert Felongco, Correspondent
- Published: 00:00 July 14, 2006
Manila: Police commandoes on Friday swooped down on safehouses of two crime syndicates in Batangas, arrested 23 members and seized weapons and an armoured personnel carrier.
The commandoes were backed by Army armoured personnel carriers.
They burst into the safehouses of the Black Shark Gang and the Bantogon Group south of Manila.
Both groups are suspected to have ties with illegal gambling in the province.
"We were able to round up a number of the syndicate members but I?m afraid not all of them," said Superintendent Benjamin delos Santos of the Special Action Force.
According to Delos Santos, the police conducted raids simultaneously on four syndicate safehouses.
Those arrested included brothers Ronald and Arthur Blanco, ringleaders of the Black Shark Gang and Nilo Bantogon Jr of the Bantogon Group.
Although the groups have been reported by police as being involved in highway robbery, kidnapping and extortion in Southern Luzon and Metro Manila, they are also known to have ties with the illegal gambling underworld, particularly those involved in the "jueteng" operations.
Criminal Investigation chief, Director Jesus Verzosa said: "These group are the Mafia of Batangas and the whole Calabarzon (Calamba, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon) region.
"They are said to be involved in hijacking, protection racket, oil pilferage, assassinations, gunrunning, and drug trafficking," Delos Santos said Dozens of high-powered firearms were also seized during the raid.
A report by GMA Network also reported that an armoured personnel carrier (APC) was seized during the raid.
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