Arresting CIDG team serves two warrants from Ozamis RTC

Now it can be told. Maybe unknown to authorities before he was recaptured after bolting the Bohol District Jail last May, Exequiel Aniscal, a native of Maribojoc town, was a member of the dreaded Alferez Robbery Gang based in Ozamis City. In fact, he was served two warrants of arrest issued by the Regional Trial Court in Ozamis City. The two warrants were on top of the robbery homicide where he was booked when arrested in Jagna September of 2011. This information was provided by Police Senior Inspector Rene Kiamko, team leader of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), in an interview yesterday following the recapture of Aniscal Tuesday in sitio Man-iso, barangay Mandagoa, municipality of Balicasag, Misamis Oriental.

The Alferez gang was responsible for a series of robberies in Cagayan De Oro, Pagadian City, Dipolog City, Cebu City and Metro Manila. However, the gang suffered a big blow following the death last week of its leader Diosdado Alferez alias “Boy Pikot” while suffering from colon cancer. In a news dispatch of Bombo Radyo in Cagayan de Oro, S/Supt. Raul Benitez, police director of Misamis Occidental, said Alferez died after suffering from the deadly ailment in the house of his brother in barangay Isidro, Tangub City. Following his arrest last Tuesday, RTC Executive Judge Evelyn Gamotin Nery of Misamis Oriental issued a commitment order to Aniscal for confinement at the Misamis Oriental provincial jail. It was not known if he will remain in the Misamis jail as a result of the two warrants issued against him. Aniscal’s fall after escaping last May ended nine months of manhunt. He was serving time in jail for robbery with homicide.

The escapee together with two others identified as Bryan Ceniza, 23 and Mario Llaya, 23, bolted the Bohol District Jail last May. However, two of Aniscal’s companions were killed in a shootout with pursuing lawmen in barangay Bood in Ubay five days after their daring escape. According to Inspector Kiamko, leader of the CIDT, Aniscal was cornered while having lunch inside the house of his live-in partner in Balingasag. The escapee’s capture was announced to Gov. Edgar Chatto during the meeting of the Provincial Peace and Order Council last Tuesday afternoon where he presided over at the Governor’s Mansion. Supt. Constantino Paul Barot, Jr., Bohol provincial police director broke the news to the governor during the PPOC meeting. Aniscal showed no sign of resistance when confronted by the arresting officers. The escape of Aniscal became a political issue after his critics notably City Mayor Dan Neri Lim hinted that it was orchestrated for use as gun-for-hire. Nothing of that sort happened, however, while he was in hiding.

ESCAPE ARTIST

Aniscal had been tagged as an escape artist for having slipped from his escorts during court hearings several times. According to reports, he had even been on the run for more than 30 years before he was arrested in September 2011. After some months 51 year old Aniscal a resident of barangay San Vicente in Maribojoc dashed for freedom at the BDJ on May 17 last year with two other inmates in tow— Ceniza of barangay Napo, Inabanga; and Mario Llaya of barangay Tambuan, Carmen. Aniscal is facing charges of robbery with homicide while Ceniza was facing charges of illegal possession of firearms based on Republic Act 8294, murder, car theft and highway robbery; and Llaya was facing charges of robbery with intimidation of person.