Police arrest suspected criminal, neutralized another in Samar

By NINFA B. QUIRANTE
June 9, 2010

CATBALOGAN CITY  –  Samar Police scored anew in its fight against criminality in the province as it arrested a suspected criminal and neutralized another in Barangay Piñaplata, Gandara, Samar.

In a report by Samar Police Information Officer PSupt Orlando Gardiola, he said, through an SMS that early yesterday, a team of policemen led by Gandara Chief of Police Jovie Espenido along with members of a Special Task Force and Regional Public Safety Battalion (formerly Regional Mobile Group) was deployed to serve warrants of arrest to suspected criminals in Barangay Piñaplata, Gandara.

As the police team was about to serve the warrant, the suspects unceremoniously fired at the policemen. The authorities recognized the leader as one Doroteo Moloboco alias Eyong/Jun.

The policemen immediately returned fire which resulted to the death of one Bobo Tamayo y Reyes, 21, whom the police said was armed with a .45 caliber pistol. They also arrested one Detty Tamayo y Reyes, 38. Both are residents of the barangay but are suspected members of a private army of one political kingpin in Samar.

The duo with other suspects, have been a subject of surveillance by the authorities for criminal records such that the warrant of arrest was supposedly to be served until they resisted.

Bobo and Detty have warrants of arrest under criminal case numbers 06-0342 and 3607 respectively.

Recovered from the site to serve as evidence are one piece of .45 caliber pistol and seven long homemade shotguns.

Police are still pursuing the alleged leader Doroteo Moloboco who slipped away while the gunfire raged on.

Samar Provincial Police Director Pancho Adelberto Hubilla said that the arrested suspect is now in police custody awaiting proper disposition.

Samar was stirred by the unfortunate incident.

Despite being ‘tagged’ as an election watch list of areas in the May 10 elections, Samareños surprisingly behaved during the May 10 and during the special elections in Buneos Aires, Pagsanghan on June 3, 2010.