REGIONAL
Advocates Philippines
Gun-For-Hire Group Apprehended In Nueva Ecija
Photo credit: Nueva Ecija PPO
The Philippine National Police (PNP) apprehended key leaders and members of a notorious gun-for-hire group operating in Nueva Ecija. A coordinated operation carried out by joint operatives from various units of the PNP resulted in multiple arrests and the seizure of a substantial cache of firearms, explosives, and illicit substances.
The successful operation took place on the morning of June 25, 2023, at around 7:10 AM, when a joint police team established an anti-criminality checkpoint in Barangay Sto Rosario, Aliaga, Nueva Ecija. Their efforts paid off when they flagged down a blue Toyota Vios with the plate number Z2 M269, leading to the arrest of five individuals: Ronnie Hernandez, Alfred Ledezma, Joey Pangilinan, Myra Hernandez, and Liezel Awing. Ronnie Hernandez, the group's leader, hails from Barangay Macalamcam B, Rosario, Batangas, while the other suspects are residents of various locations in Batangas and Quezon provinces.
During the arrests, law enforcement discovered a significant amount of weaponry and illicit items in the possession of the suspects. Ronnie Hernandez was found carrying an M16 rifle, a hand grenade, magazines, and ammunition. Pangilinan and Ledezma were each found with a caliber 45 pistol, a hand grenade, magazines, and ammunition. Myra Hernandez and Liezel Awing were apprehended with a caliber 45 pistol, magazines, a small heat transparent plastic sachet containing a crystalline substance suspected to be shabu (methamphetamine), and ammunition.
Expressing his satisfaction with the operation's success, PNP Chief PGen Benjamin Acorda Jr. emphasized the significance of apprehending the leaders and members of the Hernandez Group. He commended the relentless efforts of the police forces in ensuring the safety and security of communities, pledging continued vigilance in the fight against criminal elements.
The Hernandez Group has been implicated in numerous killings in Batangas and Quezon provinces, with their area of operation extending across Region 4A, the National Capital Region, and Region 3. The arrest and confiscation of their weapons and illegal substances are expected to disrupt their criminal activities significantly, contributing to maintaining peace and order in the affected areas.
Following the operation, the recovered explosives will be handed over to the Nueva Ecija Provincial Explosives and Canine Unit for further investigation. The confiscated firearms and suspected illegal drugs will be submitted to the NEPPO-Forensic Unit for ballistic and laboratory examinations, respectively. On Monday, June 26, the PNP filed criminal complaints against the arrested suspects for Violations of Republic Act 10591 (Comprehensive Law on Firearms and Ammunitions), Republic Act 9516 (Illegal Possession of Explosives), and Section 11 of Republic Act 9165 (Possession of Illegal Drugs) before the Provincial Prosecution's Office.
The successful operation took place on the morning of June 25, 2023, at around 7:10 AM, when a joint police team established an anti-criminality checkpoint in Barangay Sto Rosario, Aliaga, Nueva Ecija. Their efforts paid off when they flagged down a blue Toyota Vios with the plate number Z2 M269, leading to the arrest of five individuals: Ronnie Hernandez, Alfred Ledezma, Joey Pangilinan, Myra Hernandez, and Liezel Awing. Ronnie Hernandez, the group's leader, hails from Barangay Macalamcam B, Rosario, Batangas, while the other suspects are residents of various locations in Batangas and Quezon provinces.
During the arrests, law enforcement discovered a significant amount of weaponry and illicit items in the possession of the suspects. Ronnie Hernandez was found carrying an M16 rifle, a hand grenade, magazines, and ammunition. Pangilinan and Ledezma were each found with a caliber 45 pistol, a hand grenade, magazines, and ammunition. Myra Hernandez and Liezel Awing were apprehended with a caliber 45 pistol, magazines, a small heat transparent plastic sachet containing a crystalline substance suspected to be shabu (methamphetamine), and ammunition.
Expressing his satisfaction with the operation's success, PNP Chief PGen Benjamin Acorda Jr. emphasized the significance of apprehending the leaders and members of the Hernandez Group. He commended the relentless efforts of the police forces in ensuring the safety and security of communities, pledging continued vigilance in the fight against criminal elements.
The Hernandez Group has been implicated in numerous killings in Batangas and Quezon provinces, with their area of operation extending across Region 4A, the National Capital Region, and Region 3. The arrest and confiscation of their weapons and illegal substances are expected to disrupt their criminal activities significantly, contributing to maintaining peace and order in the affected areas.
Following the operation, the recovered explosives will be handed over to the Nueva Ecija Provincial Explosives and Canine Unit for further investigation. The confiscated firearms and suspected illegal drugs will be submitted to the NEPPO-Forensic Unit for ballistic and laboratory examinations, respectively. On Monday, June 26, the PNP filed criminal complaints against the arrested suspects for Violations of Republic Act 10591 (Comprehensive Law on Firearms and Ammunitions), Republic Act 9516 (Illegal Possession of Explosives), and Section 11 of Republic Act 9165 (Possession of Illegal Drugs) before the Provincial Prosecution's Office.
Jun 30, 2023
