Armed group busted in Ramos’ hometown

Police arrested the alleged leader and six members of a private armed group, involved in robberies, car theft and other criminal activities besides being guns-for-hire, in former President Fidel Ramos’ hometown of Asingan in Pangasinan last weekend.

Several high-powered firearms and ammunition were seized from the group, reportedly led by Ronaldo Mangosong.

Arrested along with Mangosong were his cohorts Armando Capagngan, Juanito Orbillo, Dominador Domingo Jr., Bencel Butuyan, Ronaldo Pine and Eugene Domingo.

Police said the group had been closely monitored due to their alleged involvement in car thefts, gunrunning, robberies, drug trafficking and gun-for-hire activities in Northern Luzon and adjoining regions.

Superintendent Danilo Galapon, Northern Luzon chief of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), said the "Mangosong gang" was behind the robberies in two foreign exchange shops in Urdaneta City and Sta. Maria town and a grocery store in Bayambang town, and a P2-million holdup in San Manuel, all in Pangasinan.

Pine was said to be a former New People’s Army cadre who joined the private armed group as a hit man.

Joint agents of the CIDG and the Northern Luzon police seized from the group a Browning automatic rifle, three M-16 assault rifles, an M-14 rifle, a caliber .45 pistol, a caliber 9 mm pistol, a caliber .38 revolver, four rifle grenades, 28 rounds for M203 grenade launcher and hundreds of live bullets.

Also confiscated from the group were several cars with tampered motor and chassis numbers.