CAMP VICENTE LIM, Calamba City, Laguna – The leader of a gun-for-hire group and his companion were arrested following an encounter Tuesday, Aug. 23, in Barangay San Roque, Rosario, Batangas.
Police Regional Office 4-A director Police Brig. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. identified the suspect as Eleazar Gupit Rocio, alias “Isat,” head of the Eleazar Rocio Gun-for-Hire Group operating in Batangas.
Rocio was the Top 1 Regional Most Wanted for murder, associated with gun-for-hire activities and other illegal activities.
His alleged cohort and member of the group, Leandro Reynosa Guerra, was taken into custody following the incident.
Nartatez said the Provincial Intelligence Unit-Batangas Police Provincial Office, 1st Batangas Provincial Mobile Force Company-SWAT, CIDG 4-A Batangas, Naval Intelligence Security Group, Ibaan Municipal Police Station, and Rosario Municipal Police Station served a warrant of arrest for the crime of murder issued by Judge Rosemarie Manalang-Austria, presiding judge of the Regional Trial Court Branch 87, Rosario, Batangas dated Aug. 19, 2022 with no bail recommended at 4 p.m. Tuesday against Rocio in his hideout.
However, Nartatez said the suspects noticed the presence of the police and fled onboard a Mitsubishi Montero with license plates ZMU-2301.
Lawmen chased the suspects until they were cornered in Barangay San Roque. The suspects got out of their vehicle and ran towards a sugarcane plantation and fired at pursuing policemen.
Police retaliated and wounded Rocio in the abdomen. He was taken to the NL Villa Hospital in Lipa City, Batangas. Guerra gave himself up and brought to Batangas Provincial Police Office for proper disposition.
Recovered from Rocio and Gueera were a Glock 9mm pistol and caliber .45 pistol, respectively.
Nartatez cited the arresting officers and said that PRO 4-A will continue to intensify its anti-criminality campaign and operation.
“I congratulate the operatives of the Batangas Police Provincial Office and other counterparts for the successful operation that led to the arrest of the Top 1 Regional Level Most Wanted Person,” he said.
“This is a great triumph for us. The apprehension of this gun-for-hire group leader will make a big difference in our peace and order situation in Batangas province. Rest assured that we will put these criminals behind bars and we will enforce the law without exemption so that justice will be served.”