Armed with sophisticated firepower such as a 5.56 caliber M-4 automatic rifle, an Ingram pistol and other powerful weapons, three members of an organized crime group specializing in professional hit jobs fell into an army-militia dragnet Tuesday after being linked to at least nine killings including political ones in Inabanga and neighboring towns. Nabbed by members of the Philippine Army's Special Forces (SF) and CAFGU were Jonathan Amancio Ohendras, 29; Marjun Divinagracia Lingo, 22; and Gelson Cebulan Divinagracia, 29, all single and jobless and residents in barangays Lilo-an, Baogo, and Anonang, all of Inabanga town. Charges of illegal possession of firearms and violations of Comelec gun ban have been filed against the three suspects, said Inabanga police chief Vincent Paul Dumaguing in a phone interview last night. Dumaguing said the police hope that the arrest would unlock some of the unresolved and high-profile killings in Inabanga and neighboring towns.

Ohendras, in a sworn statement, has admitted that he has personal knowledge of the previous killings in northeastern towns of Bohol. In the sworn statement, Ohendras tagged other names, possibly also members of the organized crime group, as behind the series of killings in that part of the province. Named by Ohendras as alleged assassins are Tomas Vistal, Eti Melencion, Albert Abanda and Renato Petalcorin. According to Ohendras, the five other suspects who are still at large had allegedly perpetrated the killings of SPO1 Heminigildo Abella, barangay councilor Randolf Jumamoy, father and son Duavis, and ex-barangay captain of barangay Maria Rosario (Eufemio Ohina). Ohendras also alleged that the other five suspects were behind the ambush of Lucino “Boboy” Lumayag, ambush of couple Emiliano “Boy” Vitor and Flora Vitory in barangay Dagnawan, Inabanga, and ambush of Inabanga councilor Nolasco “Doyong” Salazar at barangay Lapacan Sur, Inabanga.

Seized by the Philippine Army's Special Forces from the possessions of Ohendras and his two other comrades are several high-powered guns, including two M4 Bushmasters, one KG9, three .45 caliber pistols, one Ingram, one sawed-off shotgun, and three fragmentation grenades. They are now detained in the lock-up jail of Inabanga Police while the authorities are waiting for witnesses to surface and execute affidavits pinpointing the three suspects as behind the past killings in Inabanga and neighboring towns. “Nagtuo mi nga myembro ni sila sa usa ka highly organized crime group, usa ka sindikato,” Dumaguing said. “Posible nga ilang operation dili lang diri sa Inabanga pero apil na usab ang silingan nga mga lungsod,” the police chief added. Dumaguing expressed hopes that with the arrest of the three, more names of suspected assassins would come out and more leads to unresolved killings in the town would be uncovered.

THE ARREST

The arrest of the three young suspects came not as a planned operation of the Army but a coincidence when SF and CAFGU members were doing a foot patrol at 5:30 a.m. on Dec. 3 at sitio Tangob, barangay Lilo-an Norte in Inabanga. Elements of PA-SF/CAFGU detachment based at barangay Datag, Inabanga led by PFC Warren Taeza, together with CAFGU members Marlon Cabilao, Isaias Aparicio, Medrito Sobretodo, Segundino Gudito and Alfonso Anzano, were conducting a routinary foot patrol at their area of responsibility when they chanced upon Ohendras, Lingo, and Divinagracia. Initial reports have indicated that the three suspects engaged in firefighting against the army but were overpowered and decided to surrender. But according to police chief Dumaguing, there was no firefighting in the course of the arrest. Dumaguing said the three suspects seem to be ordinary residents of the town who don't pose threat until the Army found them in possession of high-powered firearms with several live ammunitions.