Marikina’s most wanted neutralized

Police have neutralized Marikina City’s most notorious criminal and arrested his cohort following a shootout in San Mateo, Rizal last Sunday.

"The long arm of the law finally caught up with him," Marikina City Mayor Maria Lourdes Fernando said, referring to slain suspect Wilfredo Loilo, alias "Boy Bicol," and the subject of numerous arrest warrants.

Fernando said Loilo had been sought by the local police "for a number of years now."

A nine-man police team, headed by Inspector Elmer Guevarra of the Concepcion Uno detachment, proceeded to Sitio Dulangan, Barangay Gulod Malaya at around 10 a.m. Sunday following the issuance of a warrant of arrest against Loilo. However, the suspect resisted and was killed in a gunbattle with Marikina police.

Police said Loilo took out a caliber .45 automatic pistol and opened fire at their direction.

Guevarra said he and his men took cover and returned fire. Loilo sustained multiple gunshot wounds and died on the spot.

Police recovered the caliber .45 pistol with two spent shells. De la Cruz was arrested after a brief case. His cohort surrendered peacefully.

The henchman, Carlos de la Cruz, 38, of 115 Shoe Avenue, Barangay Sto. Niño, Marikina City was carrying a 12 gauge shotgun and a hand grenade when arrested by police. He also yielded a plastic sachet containing at least 52 grams of high-grade shabu.

De la Cruz was presented yesterday before Fernando, and Metro Manila police chief Deputy Director General Reynaldo Velasco at the conference room of the Marikina City Hall.

Also presented were evidence recovered from Loilo’s house, including two motorcycles, two hand grenades, a rifle grenade, nine magazines for an Armalite rifle, a magazine for a caliber .9mm pistol, and drug paraphernalia.

Loilo was listed as the No. 1 drug pusher in Marikina City and had been the subject of a number of warrant of arrests for illegal drugs and assault. According to Guevarra, Loilo was heard boasting that he would fight off any attempts by authorities to arrest him.

Fernando said De la Cruz was listed as the No. 8 drug pusher in Marikina City.

However, De la Cruz, a welder, denied the charges against him. He said he was working in the area when police arrived. De la Cruz admitted though that he and Loilo were close friends.

Guevarra said charges of illegal possession of drugs, firearms and explosives will be filed against De la Cruz. He is currently detained at the Marikina City police detention center.