CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY — A village chair in Bukidnon who was arrested by authorities inside her home may have been connected to the criminal group Kuratong Baleleng, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG-10) said.
According to CIDG-10, they are verifying reports that Cherry Barros, the village chief of Kinawe in Libona town is connected with the KB, a criminal group based in Misamis Occidental thought to have been long disbanded following the death of its leaders.
Barros, along with 18 others, was arrested by a team of police and military operatives in a Saturday dawn raid.
Police said individuals inside the Barros compound, where the barangay chair and her family reside in Zone 3, Kinawe, opened fire on government agents serving the search warrant on Barros.
Three soldiers were wounded in that confrontation while 19 individuals were apprehended and various types of firearms and ammunition were confiscated at the crime scene.
The village chief’s husband, Tarcisio, and a still unidentified person, were said to have escaped following a firefight.
Confiscated from the suspects were various types of firearms including a shotgun, a Springfield rifle, two carbine rifles, a Thomson submachine gun, a .45 caliber pistol, a .38 caliber revolver;
A .40 caliber pistol, a K3 machine gun, two bottles of ANFO, three improvised blasting caps with time fuse, five pieces shock tube, an electric blasting cap, a gun silencer, and assorted magazine and live ammunition were also seized.
SPO4 Noel Oclarit, CIDG-10 chief investigator, identified the wounded as Cpl. Daniel Manatad, Cpl. Rafael Salido, and Cpl. Fernando Dumpa.
Oclarit said they received a tip that Ricardo “Ardot” Parojinog had been staying at the Barros compound, but they could not yet verify if he was one of those who managed to escape the raid.
In an interview, Barros denied the accusation that she was involved with the armed men and that most of the confiscated firearms were registered. She did not elaborate.
In January, Barros’ husband Tarcisio, who is a former Kinawe village chair, figured in an ambush that killed his 14-year-old son.
Oclarit said most of the suspects have confirmed they are members of the KB and have, in fact, come from Ozamiz.
He said even Pres. Rodrigo Duterte during the election campaign had mentioned Barros as a KB member.
The CIDG-10 said the suspects will be facing attempted murder and frustrated murder charges, and for violation of RA 10591 and RA 9516. (Jigger J. Jerusalem/PNA)
